Negima!: The Devil's Due
by N. D. Matthieus
Summary: Elements of Cosmos Entelecheia have infiltrated Mahora Academy. Their plans have been set into motion, now it is up to former members of Ala Rubra, the Magi of Mahora Academy, and Negi Springfield and his partners to stop them. Ch. 18 is up.
1. Chapter 1

Negima!: The Devil's Due

A Magister Negi Magi Fan-Fic

By N.D. Matthieus

The characters and situations of _Magister Negi Magi_ are the creation of and rightful property of Ken Akamatsu. They are used here without permission. This story may be freely redistributed, but it should not be altered substantially or used for profit in any way.

Summery: Agamasaki's plot to depose the Kansai Magic Association has ended in shambles, forcing Fate and his Conspirators to rethink their plans for the Kanto Assocation, and more specifically Mahora Academy. Now a former member of _Ala Rubra_ must work with Negi and his friends to stop this plan from succeeding.

Rated T: For Violence, Language and Adult Innuendo

Chapter One: Reunion

"Hurry up and get out!" A man's harsh voice shouted over the screams of the terrified villagers. All around the village, the man's armed compatriots ransacked the small brick and mortar homes, grabbing and throwing the occupants in the middle of the single muddy street that facilitated the only road in the village.

Terrified, they huddled down near the ground their hands covering their heads. Some prayed for salvation and help, knowing what was about to befall them.

One of the armed men, dressed in a dirtied uniform of a soldier of the Sanbalya Army approached the death squad leader. "Sir, this is everyone that we've found." He reported.

The leader, a tall, mahogany-skinned man with a vicious scar running from his left temple to his jaw, nodded. "Then let's finish this, we've got to get to the next village soon."

The subordinate nodded, turned on his booted heel and shouted orders to six of the men watching over their soon-to-be victims. Immediately, all six of the soldiers readied their weapons, taking careful aim.

The leader bared a toothy grin as he was about to witness the extermination of the vile Abunas before him.

"Fire!" He commanded, and all of the soldiers squeezed their triggers,

The clicking sounds of the hammers striking uselessly echoed from each of the soldier's rifles. The soldiers looked around puzzled and confused. Almost immediately, each of the men pulled back on the charging lever of their AK-47s, ejecting the dud rounds. With the next round in their magazines loaded, they aimed and squeezed the trigger with similar results.

"What is going on!" The squad leader demanded as he approached the confused soldiers.

Snarling angrily at their incompetence he removed his sidearm, aiming the pistol at the nearest of the Abunas villages and pulled the trigger. Like the soldiers before him, the hammer clicked uselessly.

The soldiers looked around nervously, that was until the soldier next to the squad leader took some initiative and removed his machete from its sheath and began to descend upon the terrified villagers.

Just as he raised his hand to deliver the first killing blow, he was suddenly blown off his feet. His body flew ten meters before tumbling to the ground where he rolled several times before coming to a rest in a disheveled mass.

The soldiers gaped at their fallen comrade in alarm, and then looked to the direction that the attack had seemingly come from. Their confusion worsened as they saw a lone man standing next to one of the small huts, slowly approaching the group.

He was an Asian man, dressed in a dull gray business suit, complete with polished black shoes as he traipsed through the muddied street. His short cut hair was tinted gray despite his relatively youthful appearance.

"I think that will be quite enough." The man stated sternly to the assembled death squad members.

The men first gawked at this interloper in disbelief then finally chuckled to each other as they stared at this strange man.

"This is not your concern, Asian." The death squad leader said, aiming his side arm at the stranger.

"This is illegal; you will put down your weapons and await the arrival of the UN security forces." The man continued.

A general chuckle ran through the assembled murderers.

"This is not your country! You have no right to be here." The leader countered, "We do not take orders from you, and the UN has no jurisdiction over us!"

"You will lay down your weapons and wait for the proper authorities." The interloper repeated, "If you attempt to resist, I cannot ensure your safety in the matter."

"You're just one man, what do you think you can do?"

"Will you stand down?" He asked one final time.

"You're a funny man," the leader chuckled, looking at the frightened villagers then back to this insane man. "You know what; we'll finish with these disgusting vermin, then we'll deal with you. How does that sound?"

"I won't allow that." The man countered sternly.

"Like you can do anything!" The leader said as he aimed his pistol at the nearest villager and squeezed the trigger.

Before he could finish pulling the trigger, the leader was suddenly thrown sideways, directly into one of the small hut's walls. The sound of shattering mortar and wet meaty flesh impacting reverberated throughout the village.

The soldiers looked at their downed leader then back at the stranger who had just arrived. Two of the soldiers quickly raised their rifles and prepared to fire, only to be met with similar results as they too were violently thrown backwards nearly fifteen meters.

The remaining soldiers squeezed the triggers on their guns before even taking aim, the weapons merely cycled harmlessly as their weapons once again refused to fire. One by one, each of them were thrown backwards while the Asian man approached casually, his hands never even leaving the pockets of his trousers.

The remaining death squad soldiers, weighed their options and decided to simply make a run for it. Turning on their heels and ran in the opposite direction. The six soldiers only managed to journey about twenty meters before they seemed to run head first into an invisible wall. Most of the men crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain as many of them broke their noses or received blinding concussions from the experience.

The squad leader groaned in pain as he saw the Asian man approaching him. Exhaling violently, he reached into his pocket and removed a fragmentation grenade, gritting his teeth as his movements were slow and arduous. His fingers clutched around the arming pin. With a forceful tug, the pin spring loose and he lobbed it towards the stranger.

The man was genuinely taken by surprise as the grenade hit the mud then lay where it was. He cursed as he attempted to push the grenade away, hoping to preserve the lives of everyone within the blast radius.

He was just a bit too slow.

The grenade had been lifted not two meters when it suddenly detonated. The weapon sprayed shrapnel and a massive wall of over pressurized air engulfing everyone within a ten-meter radius. The samaritan who had intervened on the villager's behalf was thrown like a rag doll from the explosion. He bounced twice before sinking into the mud.

His vision was blurry and unfocused and he realized that he was having difficulty breathing. He rolled carefully over and looked down at his chest. Amidst the thick mud he could see dark crimson beginning to ooze from various wounds where shrapnel had imbedded itself in him.

Coughing violently, he saw blood spray from his lips. He had been careless, he thought as the pain surged through him, even dulled by the adrenaline coursing through his veins it was still agonizing.

It was in that moment that Takahata Takamichi believed that he was going to die.

Just as the darkness began to settle upon his vision, he looked up to the cloudy sky, only to find it molted out by a figure standing over him, clad in a cloak with the hood drawn over his face. Still he could make out the distinctive crimson hair, and radiant emerald eyes staring down at him.

"Is that you Nagi…" He whispered before he lost consciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Recovery

Takamichi was surprised to find his eyes fluttering open as morning light poured into the small room and directly into his face. He winced as he placed a hand over his face. Drowsily he sat up and yawned.

Almost immediately, his memories returned to him, and his eyes widened as he looked down at his bare chest, expecting to see the vicious injuries he had sustained, instead all he could discern was the outline of several new scars that had appeared on his chest.

"You're awake, sir." A young Abunas child said, surprising Takamichi. The child bore a toothy grin, "I will get the healer, he will be glad that you're awake." Without another word, the child rushed out of the room.

_What in the world happened_, he thought. His memory was fuzzy, and as such he presumed it was also slightly inaccurate. He remembered being assigned to Sanbalya to investigate human rights violation on the part of the Nongovernmental Organization, Austro-Africus Aetemalls, which had been investigating such atrocities in the region. That was when he had stumbled across the Village of Bacara, and he had been following the death squad that had been traveling from rural village-to-village butchering each one before moving on. He remembered arriving in that last town, believing that he had almost been too late.

Then something strange had happened. Just as the soldiers were about to execute the villagers, their weapons had malfunctioned. He had taken the opportunity to intervene and had been lucky enough to incapacitate most of them when…

The grenade, then he remembered bleeding out, and finally…

"Nagi!" He whispered in surprise as his memory finally cleared.

Just at that moment, the door to the room opened and the small child came back, with a hooded man in tow.

"Ah, you're awake at last." The hooded man spoke with a touch of humor in his voice. "You slept long enough Takamichi. It's been nearly three days since you arrived."

"Nagi, is that you!" He said suddenly attempting to peer into the shadow that the cloak's hood cast over the man's face.

The hooded man chuckled. Looking down at the young child he continued to look between the two men during their exchange. "Sala, you should go see your sister." He reached into his pocket and removed a pair of chocolate bars. "Please give one of these to your sister, the other is for you."

The child grinned widely as he accepted the gifts. "Yes, sir." He said energetically as he scampered out of the room.

Once he had left the hooded man closed to door behind him, then he turned back to Takamichi, "You've grown quite a bit since the last time that I saw you." He admitted as his hands lifted towards his hood, pulling it back to reveal his face to the Japanese man.

Takamichi looked at the stranger perplexed, he looked so much like the Thousand Master that he had initially mistaken him for, yet there were apparent differences that distinguished him from the famous Nagi Springfield. His hair was cut short much like Takamichi's but still the same shade of crimson that he remembered of Nagi, with piercing emerald eyes. Yet his facial bones were different, with a stronger ridge line. He looked more like a youthful sage than the rebellious risk taker that Takamichi had mistaken him for.

The other man chuckled, "Still don't recognize me?" He asked.

Takamichi grudgingly shook his head, which caused the other man to chuckle louder.

"I'm not surprised. I've changed my appearance in the decade since we last met." The man extended his right hand, while his left rolled up his sleeve. Underneath, emblazoned across his skin was a very intricate and ornate tattoo.

Takamichi instantly recognized it; he looked up at the man's face in shock. "Mathias!" He whispered breathlessly.

He shook his head, "I'm not Mathias any more, Takamichi. I go by Magnus Locke these days."

"I see," He admitted, looking at the man standing before him. "I have to say, I'm surprised that you're still alive."

"You and me both," Magnus conceded. "Trust me, after you and I last saw each other, it was pretty touch and go there for a while." Then he shrugged, "But I guess; alls well that ends well right?

He honestly could not believe all of this transpiring, never would he have imagined that he would run into a surviving member of the famous _Ala Rubra_, especially one thought to be dead for so long. "What are you doing here in Sanbalya?" He asked.

"You know my profession." Magnus replied somberly much of the humor suddenly vacant from his voice.

The other man was willing to concede that point. Given the atrocities that had been committed, and reported, throughout the world, there was little wonder that Mathias…Magnus, he corrected, would be present.

Takamichi remembered that soldier's weapons not working suddenly, "You were the one who disabled the soldier's guns."

Magnus shrugged, "I decided that I wasn't in the mood to witness a massacre that day." He looked to the door vacantly, and sighed. "Truth be told, I've sort of grown attached to this place."

"You've been here for a while?" He asked.

"More than 'a while,' actually it's going on three years." He stated.

"That's much longer than this whole situation started."

"I'm glad to see that that concussion you suffered hasn't slowed you down any, Takamichi." Magnus said somberly leaning against a wall. "Actually, I've been here helping with the missionaries over in Jurrorwa, going from town to town as a healer."

"That's certainly a change of pace for you."

"That it is." He admitted, "This last decade's been…insightful." He said with a grin, "I honestly cannot remember the last time that I was able to actually live like a human being, I had almost forgotten what its like."

"I can understand that."

"But enough about me," He said waving his hand absently, "How has Takamichi been for this last decade? Last I remember you were going to Mahora Academy with the Princess."

Takamichi smiled, "Yeah, I ended up taking a teaching position there, been there ever since." "Doesn't surprise me," Magnus waved with a genuine smile crossing his face, "I haven't seen Konoemon in decades, how's that kid doing these days?"

Takamichi couldn't help but stifle a chuckle of his own. This truly was the Mathias he remembered from all those years ago. No matter who it was that he was talking to, he always seemed to think of them as "kids" from his perspective.

Takamichi grinned, "Well that 'kid' as you put it, is still the Dean at Mahora Academy and I have to say he's aged pretty well."

He shook his head, "I'm glad to know that he's doing well. How is the Princess?"

"Living happily." Takamichi said with his own smile. He looked around the room, finding his pants folded neatly in a chair next to his bed. He reached for it, quickly removing his wallet. Opening it, he presented a small photograph and offered it to Magnus.

The other man accepted the photo and looked at it with a smile still on his face. "She's grown quite a bit."

"That she has." Takamichi affirmed. "She's certainly gotten herself in a bit of trouble as of late though."

"Anything serious?" Magnus asked concerned.

He shook his head, "Oh nothing too bad. But I will say that things have gotten a little…interesting since we had a new teacher begin working at the Academy."

"Oh?" the other man frowned, seeing the slightly humorous glint in Takamichi's eye. "And who exactly would this new teacher be that seemed to getting our Princess into such trouble?"

"Well his name is Negi Springfield." Takamichi said with a wide grin.

"Nagi's son?" Magnus replied incredulously. "That's quite the interesting revelation…he's what nine or ten?"

"Yep, and quite the overachieving young lad as well." Takamichi said happily. "Managed to graduate from the Magic Academy at the age of nine, and wound up getting a teaching assignment at Mahora as a reward for all of his hard work."

"That's quite the accomplishment."

Takamichi paused as he suddenly remembered his current surroundings. "What happened to those soldiers that I was pursuing?"

"Well, you managed to knock most of them out with that _iaido_ that Gateau taught you. You've gotten pretty good with that by the way." Magnus said with a smile. "The ones that tried to run I stopped. Afterwards, we took their weapons, destroyed them and tied them up to wait for that U.N. forces that you were talking about to pick them up." He shrugged, "They asked about you, but I told them that you were resting. Figured you would rather recoup around here, at least the cooking is a bit better than what you would find in a UN hospital."

Takamichi actually managed to laugh at that statement. "Well I appreciate it." His hand brushed against his chest. "I'm glad to see that your healing spells haven't gone to waste."

"Eh, you weren't hurt that bad. Just a punctured lung and a couple of torn arteries, nothing too severe." He said with faux modesty.

"Right…" He swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I think I'm going to get dressed. Magnus is there any way that I might be able to get a lift back to Ghraffa."

"I think I can spare up a truck to get us there." He replied, standing and walking out of the room.

Ghraffa was the capital of Sanbalya, it was also a city marked with history dating all the way back to the initial English Colonialism that had given life to the city as the premier trading post on the Indian Coastline. Modernized with what little income that Sanbalya's economy could produce, it was not the friendliest of locations in this part of the world, but if you knew what to look for there was little need for concern.

For individuals such as Takahata Takamichi and Magnus Locke they were hardly concerned given that they were possibly the most dangerous individuals in the entire city.

Magnus parked the truck on the side of the street, turning the engine off as he exited the vehicle and looked at the Austro-Africus Aetemalls Branch office that resided near the local airport. He journeyed around to the back of the canvas-covered truck as Takamichi exited the vehicle.

"Well, looks like this is your stop." He said with a faint smile. "It's been good seeing you, Takamichi, you take care of yourself, and watch out for the grenades, will you."

"You know Magnus, you should come back with me to Mahora Academy." He said.

Magnus snorted, "What, and become a teacher like you, I'm sorry but I don't think that your students need that sort of agony forced upon them."

"I'm serious." Takamichi said, "When was the last time you were in Japan?"

"A bit over a decade ago." He said simply. "And what good would I be at an Academy? I'm not exactly qualified to be a teacher."

"I don't know why not, you've certainly got the life experience to teach."

"I think this conversation has gone far enough." Magnus said with a chuckle, then his expression turned thoughtful, "Actually, is Evangeline still there?"

Takamichi nodded, "Yeah, and the curse is still in effect."

Magnus nodded thoughtfully then walked back around the truck.

"Well, Magnus?" Takamichi asked.

Magnus looked back at his old friend then smiled, "We'll see." He said before turning the keys and starting the truck back up.

"Well, if you do decide, here." He reached into his suit's inner pocket and removed a small business card. "The first number is to the sat-phone that the AAA gave me. The second number is my personal cell phone in Japan." He shrugged, "If you can't contact me with either of these, you can always call up the faculty department at Mahora."

Magnus accepted the card, looked it over for a long moment then pocketed it.

"Take care, Takamichi." He yelled as he drove off.

"Same to you." He said softly, shaking his head. To think after all this time, the infamous _Ala_ _Ferrum_ from the Great War would be a healer in a war torn African nation. He supposed people actually could change.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Decisions

Four days had passed since Magnus had dropped off Takamichi in front of the AAA Branch Office, and not a moment had passed consumed in thought over the invitations that the younger man had offered him.

He had come to Sanbalya because of its innocence; it was a place where he could seek refuge and possibly live out his eternal life in relative peace. For the last three years he had been right. Still, the mounting ethnic tensions of late had disrupted much of that peace. It was finely dwindling down, as U.N. peace forces were arriving in full force, and the fact that nongovernmental organizations like the AAA were also stepping forward to handle the situation was quickly restoring order to the region.

"To be a mage in this generation." He whispered looking out at the beautiful landscape as the thunderstorm brought the spring rains that the farmers so desperately needed. Things were turning around, and perhaps so was his need to move on with his life.

Still, it had been a wonderful three years, he could hardly ask for more.

If he were to leave this place, he knew the sort of world he would be entering into. It was not one that favored him. In fact, he was more likely to be dejected than accepted. His reputation was just too daunting to be accepted casually, at least not like the people here had accepted him.

To them, he was a miracle healer, adept in the arts of medicine and mystical sorcery. Unlike the world that Takamichi would ask for him to return to, where he was on par with being one of the most vile war criminals that the world had ever seen. Not even his brief stint with _Ala Rubra _could ever truly wash away the sins that he had committed.

No sane individual would ever wish to return to that, and yet, it seemed as if a part of him was calling out to do just that.

"You're up unusually early today, Magnus." A pleasant voice said behind him.

Magnus looked over his shoulder and allowed for a smile to cross his face. "Father Peter, I could say the same for you, good morning."

The Catholic priest bowed his head, "And a good morning to you, still it's unusual for you to be so early?"

Magnus chuckled, "Actually, you could say that I've been up rather late."

"You haven't slept?"

"I've had a bit on my mind, Father." He admitted.

"Well, that's not too surprising given what has happened around here in the last week." The priest said solemnly.

There was more truth in that statement than Magnus could admit. Just yesterday the last of the services had been held following the massacre whose victims had become parishioners of Father Peter's Mission.

Father Peter was quite the individual, Magnus had concluded. A devout man who believed in the absolute goodness of man, in Magnus's long life he was a rarity. In all the time that Magnus had known the man, and witnessed the same things that he had. Never once did the man's faith waver either for God or his belief in people. In all honesty, given the life that Magnus had led, it was a breath of fresh air to be in the company of a man who seemed so energetic. Always ready to tackle each new morning with an exuberance that he had seen far too seldom in his journeys.

"Its more than that, I'm afraid." Magnus admitted with a shrug, looking to the horizon.

"Trying times," the Father replied, "Not surprising of course, after all, how could life be interesting if it was the same old thing day in and day out?"

"You think?" he asked.

"My son, believe me, I know. Every day is a blessing, whether it be filled with joy or hardship. Although, I will admit that this last week has been more hardship than I would ever prefer, I'm just grateful that it is past us."

"And what do you think should happen to the men who were responsible?" Magnus replied somberly.

"My son, it is not my place to judge my fellow man. After all, there is only one person that I know of who carries such a burden as that. Is that what is troubling you so, Magnus?"

"In many ways, it is." He said, "Although, I think it's more a reflection of myself than anything else." He shrugged, "You know that I have not led a very noble life, Father."

The Father shook his head, "What I know, Magnus is that you truly have been a Godsend to this place. That is what I know, and in that I know just how good of a person you truly are. We are not perfect, nor should we ever try to become so. We make mistakes, we fall down, but those of us who are strong enough to get up and reflect upon our mistakes to ensue that they do not repeat themselves. This is the best we can hope for." He smiled, "As I have told you before, you have always been the hardest on yourself than anyone else that I have seen."

Magnus was silent, his eyes still intent. After a long pause, he smiled and looked back to the priest. "I know you think that, Father. In some ways though, I think that I've been too lax."

"I remember when we had that outbreak of Malaria last summer." The father reflected, "You journeyed to all of the local towns, treating everyone, for two weeks straight. You even managed to go to Ghraffa to retrieve the medicine that the Church had sent. I don't think I ever saw you sleep once during those fourteen days." Now it was his turn to shake his head, "My son, you must truly understand, you are someone special. Never in all my life have I seen someone push themselves so hard, for so long, on the behalf of others." He grinned broadly, "And to do so without nary a concern for yourself."

"No one died…" Magnus said softly as he remembered those turbulent weeks. It had been the first time in the locals' memory that during a Malaria outbreak that no one had died. It was one of those few instances that Magnus could genuinely say that he had made a difference here.

"Because of _you_, no one died. Magnus, I honestly do thank God every night for your presence here. Yet what I cannot understand is how someone who is shows such kindness and benevolence as you do to your fellow man cannot do so to yourself?"

"Father Peter," Magnus said slowly, finally realizing that he had made his decision in just this short conversation. "I believe that there are some things that not even God can forgive. And if He cannot forgive those sins, then there is no reason I should either."

"That is where you're wrong, Magnus!" Peter snapped defiantly, "His Love for His children knows no bounds! So long as you accept Him into your heart, there is no reason why He will not accept you into His! We are all His children, we all make mistakes, because that is how He made us, so that we can make mistakes and become stronger from those mistakes so that we may live life to its fullest."

"Perhaps, if it were only so easy," Magnus said after another lingering pause. He sighed as he turned to face Father Peter, knowing that this would be the last time that he would ever see the old priest again. "Father, these last three years have been the happiest for me. It's been a peaceful respite. Unfortunately, I think it is time that I return to the life I once lived and accept the punishment for my actions."

The old priest sighed. "My son," he paused for a moment, and then smiled. "Believe this as you will, but God is with you, Magnus. Despite everything, you are one of His blessed children. You might not be able to accept Him at this time, but trust me; He will never forget someone like you."

Magnus allowed one last smile of happiness to cross his face. He bowed his head solemnly, "You take care Father. It is at all possible I would like to come back here."

"This home will always be open to you, Magnus." Then he chuckled, "Of course, Sala is going to be very saddened that he will no longer be able to get any more chocolate from you."

"Don't worry, I left a couple of bars in my room. Please remind him that he is to share them with his sister."

"I will," Peter said as he walked this man to the door. In the three years since Magnus had arrived at the Mission, Peter had never pried into his past. In fact, he had been surprised to find that Magnus was not even Catholic, or even a parishioner of any particular religion, but he had been quite an informed and educated man, who depth of knowledge in theological doctrine had led to many a night where the two would simply converse for hours on end about such matters.

Peter knew that Magnus had suffered some sort of great tragedy in his life, had "sinned against God" as the red-haired man had told him one evening, but Peter had never asked further about what. After seeing his dedication to the people of the surrounding villages, Peter soon came to learn that no matter even if Magnus were a criminal or fugitive from some other country; he had paid his penance for his transgressions many times over these last three years.

Yet, he was leaving, to face his demons. Despite his hope to return, Peter believed that as he walked the young man to the threshold of the Church's barracks that he would never see Magnus Locke again in his lifetime.

"Take care, Father." Magnus said somberly as he descended the small steps from the barracks's front porch.

"And you too, Magnus, Godspeed."

Magnus nodded, paused for a moment as if to say something more, but instead he nodded silently and proceeded down the street as the rain continued to pour down relentlessly.

Magnus allowed himself to walk for a mile down the muddy road, his thoughts still wandering. _Was this really the smartest decision to make?_ He constantly berated himself. Finally, after another fifteen minutes of walking he came to a stop, looked up and down the length of the road to ensure that no one was present, visibility was greatly reduced between the rain and the early morning, so he figured this would be just as good a spot as ever.

"Rathimus, are you still here?" His voice barely audible over the torrential downpour.

Beside him, an apparition suddenly materialized. He appeared to be a tall man, but Magnus knew it to be merely a physical illusion. The man, once fully materialized knelt before him. "How may I serve you, My Lord?" He asked.

"I am leaving Sanbalya, Rathimus…" He paused knowing the sort of burden he was asking one of his few confidantes that still remained by his side, "I would like for you to stay here and protect the villages and look after Father Peter."

If the man was surprised by the request, it never appeared on his face. Rathimus had always been good about hiding his emotions from Magnus. "Of course, My Lord, I will watch over the villagers and protect them with my very life until the end of my days."

Magnus felt a twinge of regret grip him, "I'm sorry to ask this of you, Rathimus. You have been too loyal of a warrior to me to be left with something like this."

The man shook his head, "Never, My Lord!" He balked, "If by leaving me here to protect these people, you are able to fulfill your mission without concern, then this is my greatest honor I can do for you."

"Thank you, Rathimus." Magnus said. It was all he could say; to say anything else would only stain this noble man's honor.

"Of course, My Lord." Rathimus said, once again vanishing as if he had never existed.

Realizing that all of his loose ends had been tied up, he rolled up the sleeve of his right arm. He paused as he looked down at his right arm, admiring portion of the intricate tattoo that was inlaid across the entirety of his body. In actuality, it wasn't a tattoo but a magical array that would forever mark him as a traitor to his people.

_Atonement_, he thought bitterly, as he ran an edged fingernail across the array, breaking the seal momentarily. Almost immediately, the seal detracted from his hand almost midway up his forearm. He winced as he felt the smoldering pain begin to accumulate.

"That should be enough." He whispered between clinched teeth as he began the incantation.

A brilliant flash washed over him out of the dreary morning air and suddenly Magnus Locke vanished from Sanbalya.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Arrival

In retrospect, Magnus should have gone to the AAA branch office, chartered a flight from Sanbalya to Japan instead of attempting to conjure up a teleportation spell, especially since the last time that he used one was the better part of three years ago.

Yeah, that would have probably been the smarter decision.

As he so evidently realized as he materialized in Japan, or more specifically several thousand meters _above_ Japan.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" He managed to scream as he plummeted towards the world. The landscape below him looked so small and indistinguishable.

He gritted his teeth as he conjured up a levitation spell, only to watch with widened eyes as nothing happened. Magnus quickly looked to his right arm to see that the Magical seal had once again reactivated, locking away a majority of his magical powers.

Steadily accelerating, with no immediate means to slow himself, he worked quickly. He attempted to break the seal by tearing at his flesh once again. This was met with resistance as the array refused to recede and grant him access momentarily to his powers.

Now the ground was rushing up to meet him, he could finally begin to make out individual structures and suddenly realized that he was rushing towards what appeared to be a vast, sprawling temple complex.

_God certainly has a sense of humor!_ Magnus realized that he thought. He was about to be splattered in the middle of a Japanese temple if he didn't do something quick to prevent this.

"Dammit work!" He snarled as he dug deeper into his skin, but still the array would not retract.

He realized suddenly that he was attempting to use too much power to solve this problem. He had to think more basic, quite literally at elementary level to overcome this situation.

Closing his eyes, he willed forth the trickle of magical power that the array did not seal, and focused it all into a single conjuration.

"_Vente Nos!"_ He yelled as he held his hand forward, summoning a highly compressed cyclone beneath him.

The effects were almost instantaneous. Using the wind current under him, he slowed his descent just enough that as he slammed into the reflecting pond—which had the misfortune of accepting him—that he didn't break his neck, or any other bones for that matter. Thankfully, it was not a shallow pond, being about five meters or so deep. Still, the impact left him disoriented as he floated to the surface.

He broke the water's surface with gusto, coughing violently. He shook his head to clear his vision and look around where he had unceremoniously been deposited. He had the opportunity to look up to see a pair of _Miko, _shrine maidens, who could not be any older than twelve years of age look at him with eyes as wide as saucers, before they realized what had happened and began running rapidly in the opposite direction before Magnus could even say anything.

"Great!" He uttered as he began swimming towards land. He certainly had to have made their day. How often is it that a pair of young girls got the opportunity to see a _gaijin_ literally fall from the sky? Personally, he doubted that had he witnessed the entire spectacle that he could have refrained himself from cracking up, but then again he had been told time and again that his sense of humor was a bit off.

He crawled out of the pond, and simply lay on his back, his body soar and aching from the fall. He looked up to the mid-day sky and smiled. "Well, Magnus, welcome to Japan." He grumbled before he passed out.

"Well, this is certainly a surprise." Konoe Eishun, the Chief Representative of the Kansai Magic Association of Japan, allowed a smile to cross his be-speckled face. "It's been a long time, Takamichi-kun." He said as he beckoned the younger man into the Kansai Magic Association's conference room.

"More time than I intended unfortunately." He admitted as he followed the older man.

"I'm assuming this has something to do with what happened here in Kyoto two weeks ago?" Eishun asked as he came to rest with his legs folded under him on the _tatami_ mats. Takamichi followed suit, but with a perplexed expression on his face.

"Actually, I hadn't heard anything about what's happened here in Kyoto?" He inquired.

"Ah, I see," Eishun replied with smiled, "It's was quite a stir up." He waved his hand casually, "It unfortunately involved Negi-kun and my daughter and a disagreement with members within the Kansai Association."

"I'm assuming it was resolved without incident?" Takamichi asked.

Eishun chuckled, "Well, not too much of an incident. I have to say that Nagi's son certainly left an impression in his wake. His father would be proud of him."

"I see." The younger man said nodding his head once. Perhaps it had been a mistake for him to arrive at Kyoto before returning to Mahora Academy. Still, if Eishun seemed hardly fazed by the whole ordeal, it could not have been _that_ bad.

"Although, if you did not come here to speak to me about that. Then what brings you here, Takamichi-kun?"

"Well, I decided to drop by because of a recent experience I happened upon during my last mission in Sanbalya."

Eishun looked thoughtful, "Sanbalya," He said nodding his head, "I remember hearing about that on the news, it appears that there has been some ethnic difficulties in the last few months."

"Yeah, it finally appears to be settling down now, but it was actually near the end that I came across a mutual acquaintance of ours."

Now Eishun looked at his old friend intrigued, "Really?" He said.

"_Ala Ferrum_." Takamichi stated.

Eishun's eyes widened slightly, then immediately narrowed, "That's quite the revelation. So he did survive Istanbul?" He shrugged, "He's done a good job of staying off the radar for the last decade or so if memory serves."

"Well apparently, he's been in Sanbalya for the last few years, helping around as a healer."

"_Ala Ferrum_? A Healer?" Eishun was actually taken aback by that statement, especially given both men's history with the man. After a long pause though, Eishun shrugged, "I think the last two decades are finally catching up with him." He shook his head in mirth, "To think the infamous _Ala Ferrum_, a healer. I never thought I would see the day."

"After the few conversations that I had with him, I doubted he saw it coming as well." Takamichi said, "He seems to have changed…well that might not be the right thing to say. Its more like he's discovered something about himself."

"Well self-discovery is always good for the soul." Eishun stated.

Takamichi was about to continue when suddenly both men heard the sound of rapidly beating feet. They looked at each other then to the closed shoji.

"Elder!" A man's hurried voice came from the closed door.

Eishun immediately recognized it, "Yes, what is it, Reito-kun?"

"Konoe-sama, there has been a breach in the temple, an intruder reported in the Meditation Garden!"

"Who is it?" Eishun demanded as he began to stand, Takamichi right behind him.

"A _gaijin_, Konoe-sama. Kenji-san has apprehended him and they are waiting for your presence in the Meditation Garden." The adept stated as the shoji door rustled open and both of the older men stepped out.

"Take me to him." Eishun commanded. He glanced over to Takamichi, about to comment that his guest should stay here, but the look in the man's face told him that he wanted to come. After all, not just anyone could breach the Kansai Association's defense barrier that had been enacted to deter common bystanders from stumbling onto the temple grounds.

The journey was short, with the three men reaching the Meditation Garden to find a cluster of onlookers gathered on the walkway staring intently at what had happened.

_News travels fast_, Eishun thought whimsically. He also came to realized that things must be going pretty slow today for so many people to be dragged away from their duties to rubberneck over this intrusion. Eishun came to the conclusion that he was going to have to hand out extra duties as a result.

"All right, clear a path." Raito announced as they neared. The spectators looked up, recognized who was approaching, and beat a hasty retreat, almost as if they had a precognition of what their Chief Representative was thinking at that very moment.

With the crowd scattering, Eishun was able to see the robust form that was Takamotsu Kenji, one of the Kansai Association's more formidable _Shinmei-ryu_ swordsmen. At his feet lay the unconscious form of the intruder that Raito had mentioned. He was bound around the arms by a rope with multiple _ofuda_ talismans attached to it to reinforce the binding spell that had been placed on him to prevent him from escaping.

"Report?" Eishun said as he looked at the unconscious man.

"Konoe-sama," Kenji said, bowing his head, "Apparently this intruder fell from the sky and landed in the Meditation pond. Ako-chan and Azumi-chan both witnessed his intrusion, and quickly alerted security. When we arrived, we found him on the edge of the pond, unconscious, and quickly secured him."

"Who is he? Has he regained consciousness at all?" Eishun asked as he knelt in front of the man and lifted his head.

Takamichi inhaled suddenly, causing Eishun to look over his shoulder to his guest. "Do you recognize this man, Takahata-san?"

"That would happen to be the individual whom we were speaking of earlier." Takamichi admitted in surprised. "Although, I have no idea why he's here?"

"Really…" Eishun said as he examined the man's unconscious face.

"I'm certain." Takamichi stated.

"Well, in that case," He looked over to Kenji, "Take him to the guest house and allow him to rest." Eishun looked at his soaked garments, "And prepare a change of clothes for him as well. Please inform me when he wakes up."

The swordsman appeared as if he was going to question the order, but quickly his training kicked in and he bowed deeply, "Of course, Konoe-sama." With that the two attendants that were with Takamotsu quickly carried the unconscious man away.

Once they were alone, Eishun looked to Takamichi, "So that's _Ala Ferrum_? I hadn't thought he had changed his appearance in the decade since we parted ways."

"Like I said, I have a feeling a great many things has changed about him." Takamichi said.

"But can a man truly change his soul?" Eishun questioned as he smiled back to Takamichi, "Either way, we'll know soon enough."

"I can't say that was your most subtle of entrances." Eishun said with a grin as Magnus was escorted into the Chief Representative's office. Takamichi was present, sitting off to Eishun's right.

Having awoken about an hour earlier, Magnus had been allowed to bathe and dress into the kimono provided by the Kansai Association in preparation for his meeting with a man who at one time Magnus had attempted to kill.

"I'm very grateful for your hospitality, Eishun-dono." Magnus replied, remembering his Japanese honorifics.

Eishun chuckled at the honorific choice, although beyond that he did not say anything about it. _Ala Ferrum_…er Magnus Locke, he corrected, and he had had a very long rivalry. In fact, that rivalry existed between Magnus and a great many of Ala Rubra. Granted, Nagi had accepted the former nemesis a position within the tightly knit organization, especially following the incident that culminated in the end of the Great War.

"Think nothing of it Magnus-san." Eishun said, beckoning him to sit. "It's the least that I can do, all things considered."

"Actually, I find myself continually being in your debt." Magnus acknowledged. "And I must apologize for my…abrupt and very rude entrance. I hadn't realized that my teleportation was as rusty as it appeared to be."

"So you really did fall from the sky?" Takamichi replied with a smile beginning to fill his face.

"About two kilometers up, I would guess." Magnus admitted with a sigh. "Really bad time for the array to seal off my powers as well."

Takamichi winced at that revelation. "I'm surprised that you survived."

"It took some last minute thinking for me to skim by."

"So the array is still in place then?" Eishun asked, looking at Magnus's tattooed hands.

"Yes." He said simply, finally his curiosity got the better of him. "Excuse me, Eishun-dono, but I was wondering if you could tell me how Setsuna is doing? Is she still here at the Kansai Association?"

"Takamichi-kun didn't tell you?" Eishun asked perplexed, looking at the other man who also had a quizzical look on his face. "Ah, I see, of course. Takamichi-kun wouldn't know about that." He nodded looking back to Magnus. "Setsuna-san is currently attending Mahora Academy, she's grown up to be quite a young lady. In fact, she was here two weeks ago, along with my daughter and their teacher, Negi-kun."

Magnus looked genuinely grateful, a smile beginning to form on his face. "Thank you, Eishun-dono. I'm very grateful for the hospitality that you've extended to her…given my circumstances."

"Not at all, Magnus-san." Eishun replied, and then sobered slightly, "Although, I must inquire as to why you are here?"

"Actually," Magnus began, "I honestly think that I got my directions mixed up. I was attempting to zero in on a magical barrier in Japan, and I think I got the Kansai Association mixed up with Mahora Academy."

"Ah," Takamichi said suddenly, "So you've decided to take me up on my offer?" He asked.

Magnus shrugged looking between Eishun and Takamichi, "Essentially, yes. I figured I needed to stretch my legs a bit more than just around Sanbalya. Although, it appears that I'm still a little catching up to do."

"So you're arrival here was just coincidence?"

"Yes, and I'm very sorry for the intrusion, I had not expected to cause such a commotion."

Eishun waved absently, "Well, I don't think it was _that_ terrible. After all, you gave the temple gossip to wrap their heads around for a couple of days." He sighed, "Although, as of late I wouldn't mind a little more peace and quiet. Things have been a little too hectic here as of late."

Magnus looked quizzically at the Elder of the West who merely shrugged the issue aside. "I'll inform you about that tomorrow, Magnus. Its getting late and I have prepared a dinner in your and Takamichi-kun's honor. We'll speak more about business tomorrow, tonight I think its times that we catch up on old times."

For the first time since the conversation began, Magnus smiled. "I'd like that, Eishun-dono."

"And quit with the 'dono' honorific, Magnus! You can use 'kun' we've known each other long enough!" Eishun scolded.

"Some things will never change." Takamichi whispered as the two began to argue over the proper use of Japanese etiquette.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Death Visage

Eishun had certainly been underscoring the situation which he merely referred to as "hectic," Magnus thought as he walked down the pier at Sukuna Lake, where the incident involving the rogue Kansai member Amagasaki Chigusa had concluded.

As much as he appreciated the courtesies that Eishun offered him, Magnus was just as happy to be dressed once again in his own clothes that he had left Sanbalya with. The black slacks and dress shirt with a simple dress coat complete with pristine white cotton gloves to cover his tattoos on his hands might not be the most conspicuous of outfits but it was comfortable and suited his personal tastes.

As the sound of his boots against the pier's wooden blanks creaked and groan from his weight told the story of the sort of stress had been impressed upon the structure two weeks earlier.

He closed his eyes and reached out with his senses. Even now, after all this time since the incident had occurred he could still feel the residual spirit of Ryomen Sukuna-no-Kami.

_There might just be enough residual spirit energy to use_. Magnus thought as he looked at his right hand. If he could tap into it, then he would be able to resurrect the memory without having to delve into his own limited reserves.

He quietly recited the incantation, holding his right hand out, palm open and up. Magnus opened his eyes as he finished the spell, allowing a momentary sneer to cross his face as nothing happened. _Was there not enough spiritual energy left, no that couldn't be…_

Then the world around him distorted, warped, and altered before finally came back into focus. Only it was no longer morning. The sun had set long ago and the only ambient light came from the crescent moon overhead, and the radiating glow emanating from the creature that now stood in the center of the lake, towering over him.

"So, you're Ryōmen Sukuna-no-Kami," Magnus muttered solemnly to himself, "You're a bit bigger than I imagined. Although it does explain why so much of your spirit energy has remained after so long…"

"It's huge!" A startled voice said behind Magnus. He looked over his shoulder from the towering monster to see a young boy, with what appeared to be an ermine holding onto his shoulders for dear life. Both carried with them expression nearing that of panic.

"The summoning is complete!" A new voice yelled arrogantly, causing Magnus to look towards the altar where a tall woman with glasses, long hair and a conceded expression towered over a young girl with long brown hair.

"What are we going to do against that thing, aniki!" the terrified voice continued.

_Ah, an ermine fairy…haven't seen many of them lately._ Magnus mused as he settled into witnessing history unfold. His interest was focused on the young lad before him. His crimson hair and determined look were all too familiar. And Magnus couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia wash over him as he felt like he was looking into his own personal history.

"What we do, Chamo, is defeat it before it has a chance to fully materialize!" The child yelled earnestly as he drew his staff forward and began reciting a fairly potent magic spell.

"Wait, aniki! That spell is too powerful, you don't have enough…"

"_Jovis tempestas fulguriens!_" he screamed as he finished the recitation, instantly a torrential gale compressed itself around a single super-condensed electrical attack.

The deafening scream of the wind mixed with the overwhelming musky sent of ozone blossomed as the attack struck the monstrous four-armed, two-faced ogre that had been summoned forth. Magnus felt somewhat remorseful when he saw that the attack had little effect on the beast. Not that it entirely surprised him of course; a Colossus Ogre was not something that was easily pushed aside.

Although, Magnus noted as he looked at the child, now exhausted and collapsing onto his knees, to be able to bring forth an attack spell of such caliber at his age and condition said quite a bit about him. There was little doubt in Magnus's mind; this was indeed the son of Thousand Master: Negi Springfield.

He winced as he heard the cackling laughter suddenly blossom from the woman, who now hovered near the giant. She began ranting about some sort of blathering nonsense that irritated Magnus more than he concerned himself with its content. It actually made him slightly remorseful that he had not been present when this entire incident had transpired. Even in his weakened stage, he could still have removed the woman's tongue without much difficulty.

A crackling explosion focused his attention, this time behind young Negi. Despite himself, Magnus could not help but look upon in sudden shock as he saw the young white-hair child suddenly free himself from a binding spell.

_That can't be!_ Magnus's mind attempted to comprehend what he was seeing. _You're dead! I know, I _killed _you!_ His fists instantly clinched and his jaw hardened as he inexplicably began walking towards the child. With each step he took his body shook more and more violently with rage.

It took him longer than he wanted to admit to finally restrain himself and reaffirm that what he was witnessing was events that had already come to pass, there was nothing he could do to alter what he was witnessing.

"That was a good effort, but you truly do not realize who you are dealing with." The young boy said casually as he walked towards Negi, his left hand beginning to clench into a fist with dark electricity beginning to crackle forth. "Now I won't kill you, but for your transgressions you must certainly be punished." He said casually.

_That's certainly you all right, you bastard!_ Magnus's mind snarled, _there's no one else in this world who could be as smug as yourself, Secundium!_ Still, even in his rage, his mind attempted to devise how this boy could be present, for there was no doubt in Magnus's mind that he _had_ killed this very person ten years earlier.

"_Ministele Negi, Asuna Kagurazaka! Setsuna Sakurazaki!_" Negi's voice suddenly boomed. Magnus looked back at the doubled over youth to suddenly see two magical arrays materialize in the pier.

The kid continued to surprise Magnus as two young girls suddenly materialized between Negi and Secundium. The girl on Negi's left Magnus instantly recognized from the photo the Takamichi had shown him back in Sanbalya.

Kagurazaka Asuna, all grown up from the young girl that Magnus had remembered so many years ago. She had allowed her vibrant orange-red hair to grow out with them being tied back into two long pony-tails. Determined heterochromiac eyes glared at the young boy before her as she clutched a massive _harisen_, iron fan, in her hands.

The girl on Negi's right caught Magnus's interest almost immediately; she too had grown up from the little girl that he had remembered. Her dark hair tied off to one side, Sakurazaki Setsuna clutched the large _Nodachi_ with the skill of a practitioner of _Shinmei-ryu_.

Magnus was speechless, absently he stepped towards her only to pause momentarily as he heard the invocation of a spell behind him. He spun as he interpreted the spell's incantation. "NO!" He screamed lost in the moment, thrusting out his hand as Secundium finished in some veil hope of stopping the monster before him.

The pier detonated in a bone-shattering explosion. Magnus spun back to look at where the three kids had been standing, his mind going wild as he attempt to look for where they might have gone.

They were nowhere to be seen.

Magnus spun back to look back at Secundium, "You—," he began.

"Looks like they escaped," The boy said absently, as if answering Magnus.

Magnus glanced over the white-haired youth's shoulder and allowed a smile to cross his face as he saw the three further down the pier's length.

_A teleportation spell, good boy!_ Magnus thought amazed, then the smile that had crossed his face abruptly ended as he saw Setsuna double forward. Thoughts of concern raced through his mind, only to abruptly end as he saw a pair of beautiful snow-white wings blossom forth.

_That's very brave of her_, Magnus thought remembering the torture she had endured for those white wings as a child amongst the People. He allowed the smile to return as he suddenly saw the other two children look in awe and amazement…but perhaps most importantly of all; acceptance of Setsuna.

"Looks like I've found you." Secundium stated beginning to walk down the pier, just as Setsuna set off. Magnus spared just a momentary glance as Setsuna flew above his head, her target aimed directly for the young girl from whom Amagasaki had kidnapped, Konoe Konoka.

That was all he was willing to do before he looked back at Secundium, who momentarily vanished as Asuna charged him. He managed to reappear above the young girl, his left leg slamming down with a devastatingly magic-reinforced kick. The pier shattered below Asuna and rebounded her further away from Magnus. Negi screamed out her name in concern, losing focus in that one moment that Secundium exploited to appear behind the young teacher and strike a devastating punch that send Negi meeting his friend.

Negi's momentum from the punch connected with Asuna's staggering body and both toppled even further away. Magnus hadn't realized that he was running towards them. Concerned thoughts racing through his mind as he saw them stagger to the feet after a long heart-stopping moment.

He slowed his pace, attempting to bring his emotions under control. Despite the fact that he had been told that they had survived this encounter, witnessing it still was taking its toll on him.

It was not a moment of respite though for the two as Secundium continued his onslaught of rapid fire punches and kicks. It truly was unfair, Magnus thought bitterly, neither of the two could possibly match this monster on a stand alone fight. Hell, Magnus had only barely managed to defeat him ten years ago…

Secundium suddenly flew up into the heavens, his fingers aimed at the two disoriented children as he began yet another invocation. Yet another petrification spell, Magnus immediately recognized. He stole one final glance at Negi and Asuna as the boy fired off his spell.

He just had enough time to witness Asuna throw herself over Negi, shielding him from the attack before they were enveloped in the piercing light that shattered the pier in half.

As the dust and debris cleared, Magnus watched with a relaxed smile as he saw that both of them were all right. Asuna's sudden recklessness had actually managed to save the young boy's life. Although, her shirt had suddenly been petrified into stone, but that was all that had succumbed to the boy's curse.

"So she can nullify magic spells!" Secundium announced as he began one final assault on the pair. His hand cocked back with electricity beginning to crackle from his closed fist.

The force of his strike bucked the already battered and beaten pier. Magnus rushed to witness the feat with amazement as Negi clutched Secundium's wrist with his hand, preventing the blow from landing with its full might.

"Asuna-san, are you all right?" Negi asked through clenched teeth.

"Just fine, Negi!" She said with equal malice as the stone garment crumbled as she brought the _harisen_ striking down on their attacker.

The magical defense barrier that Secundium had erected to protect himself from most attacks suddenly vanished and he was vulnerable, a fact that Negi exploited to the fullest with a daunting right punch that sent the white-hair boy flailing backwards.

For a moment there, nothing happened, then Secundium stumbled backwards, panting heavy, his eyes widened in shock. "For the first time…" He whispered, "Someone laid their hands on me!" he uttered looking back at Negi and Asuna, his eyes mad with rage.

_Apparently he hasn't gotten any less delusional over the years_, Magnus concluded somberly as he realized what was happening. This monster might have been just toying with them until this moment, but unless a miracle suddenly happened, both of these children where about to die a very painful death.

His prayers were answered just as Secundium swung his first punch. A portal of darkness opened just below the white-haired child and a thin, pale hand reached out and clutched the boy by his wrist. He looked down in confusion only to see the grinning face of a young girl who seemed entirely too excited about her circumstances.

"It seems you've been mistreating our boya," a European-accented feminine voice chuckled. It was a voice that Magnus hadn't heard in centuries.

In that moment Evangeline A. K. McDowell fully materialized upon the pier, her expression as absolutely joyous as it was merciless. Her eyes narrowed as suddenly a surge of magic poured from her culminating in a daunting explosion that threw Secundium forty meters into the lake.

_Well, _she_ certainly hasn't lost her touch_. Magnus thought with a grin now appearing on his face.

"Well, how was that, kiddo?" She chuckled looking back at the stunned Negi and Asuna.

"Master!" A female voice called from high above. Magnus canted his head to see what appeared to be a young girl hovering above with an inexplicably large rifle clutched in her hands. "The barrier shot is ready." She announced.

"Oh goody!" Evangeline caroled, looking back at the pair of survivors. "Now sit back and watch as a Magi at the top of her form works!" She said as she took of from the pier, following her Ministel Magi fired the cannon into the static Ogre. A barrier field suddenly engulfed the monster.

Magnus spared one glance over in the distance, near where the crescent moon hung, he could see the faint outline of a pair of wings. In Setsuna's hands, she clutched Konoe Konoka, safe and sound.

"You're still watching right!" She called back as she began her incantation, forcing Magnus's attention back to her.

"She still hasn't gotten over her loss to you, Negi…" Asuna whispered low enough that only Negi, and Magnus could hear it.

Suddenly a massive glacier erupted throughout the Colossus Ogre, splintering from his flesh. The beast snarled painfully, arching its head backwards, its mouths opened wide as if to scream out its last moments of life. In the end it was all a futile gesture as ice spears erupted from those orifices forever silencing the creature.

Agamasaki looked at the frozen Ogre in horror, then back at the petite, blonde-haired girl who had annihilated the beast before her very eyes. "W-Who in the hell are you!" She stammered, paling deeply.

"I am the Vampire Evangeline! The 'Dark Angel!' Evil Mage without equal!" She then threw her head back in triumph and cackled for all her glory.

"Eh," Asuna said stunned, "Crazy much, Eva-chan." She whispered.

Evangeline finished her rant with a simple snap of her fingers. Upon which moment, the Ogre that had once been Ryōmen Sukuna-no-Kami shattered into a thousand pieces, And with his death, came the conclusion of the vision.

The world shifted back into reality, and once again Magnus was bathed in the light of the mid-day. Still even that warmth could not detract from the bone-chilling experience that surged from him as the conclusion of the illusion. What he had used was a dark art, something that decades ago he was quite familiar with, now though after so many years of neglect from that practice, the sensation felt…wrong.

He shivered while exhaling slowly as he attempted to bring control back to his body.

"Looks like some things don't change." A familiar voice said behind him.

Magnus turned back to see Takamichi approaching, a somber look on his face.

"You saw it?" He asked quietly.

"The last moments of that creature's life?" Takamichi nodded affirmative. "I have to say I've never witnessed a Death Visage in person before."

"It's not very pleasant, but it does get the job done." Magnus said quietly.

"Why did you conjure it?" the other man asked.

"I had to…" He shrugged, "I had to see her, Takamichi." He said softly.

"Asuna?" He asked perplexed.

Magnus shook his head, "Never mind. It's nothing."

"You're not going to continue doing things like this, are you?" He asked concerned.

Magnus actually surprised even himself with a chuckle. "I'm pretty sure I don't think I can handle practicing this sort of magic any more." He looked down at his still trembling hand, "At least not with this body, at least."

"There are other forms of magic available, you know that right? The type that doesn't blacken your soul from use."

"That may be," Magnus said sighing heavily, "But unfortunately, this magic and I are too intertwined to be parted so easily." He looked back to Takamichi, "Although, after that vision, I have to say that I'm definitely willing to accept your invitation to Mahora Academy now…" He sighed, "So long as the offer is still open?"

Takamichi thought it over for a long moment. When he had awoken in Sanbalya, he had seen a man completely different from the one he had known before. A man who genuinely _cared_ for others, Magnus would never be so arrogant as to admit such a thing, but Takamichi had seen it, seen the sincerity in his actions and his words, and more importantly in his eyes as he spoke to and of the people of Sanbalya. It was what had compelled Takamichi to offer Magnus an opportunity to rejoin the human race, as a human being.

Yet, Magnus appeared to so easily slip back into his old ways once he returned to the world of magic. The spell he had used to peer into the past, to witness the final moments of that Ogre's life, was a serious taboo amongst Magi. It was a sort of magic that would corrupt and eat away at a person's soul, sapping from them their last remnants of humanity.

Takamichi had seen the end result of that sort of corruption, in the form of _Ala Ferrum_, the Iron Wing of Death during the Great War twenty years prior.

Perhaps he was naïve, hoping to see the eternal good in a human being and look past a man's faults but still he could not find himself capable of refusing this man before him, telling him that he should go somewhere else, attempt to find his redemption elsewhere.

After a long pause, Takahata Takamichi nodded his head solemnly, his decision made. "Yes, Magnus, you're welcome to come back with me to Mahora Academy."

"Thank you, Takamichi." Magnus said sincerely, casting one final look out upon the Sukuna Lake. "I would like that."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Conspiracy

The following morning, Takamichi stood at the gates to the Kansai Association, looking back to see Magnus and Eishun approaching.

"Ready to go?" Takamichi asked casually, taking a drag from his cigarette.

Magnus expression was sober, "It looks like you'll have to go ahead of me, Takamichi."

The other man's brow furrowed. "Has something come up?" He asked.

Magnus merely shook his head, "Nothing too serious, just some things I remembered that I need to pick up from Nagi's old apartment here. Eishun just informed me that he's kept the place just as Nagi left it."

Takamichi nodded in understanding. "All right, well when do you expect to arrive?"

The redheaded man thought it over momentarily before shrugging, "I would assume in two or three days on the outside."

"Okay, I'll inform the headmaster. Hopefully that way there won't be any complications when you cross the magic barrier." He paused for a moment as something dawned on him, "Oh, and Magnus, try not to attempting another of your sky diving routines."

A chuckle actually escaped the other man. "Actually, if what I left at the apartment is still there, then I think I will definitely be remaining on _terra firma_ on my way to Mahora Academy."

The younger man nodded in agreement, stifling a chuckle. "All right," he began as he looked over to Eishun and bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you again for all your hospitality, Eishun-kun."

Eishun casually shook his head, "Think nothing of it, Takamichi-kun, you are always welcome." then he produced two small packages and handed them to the other man, "Although, I do have a few things that I would like for you to get to my father-in-law, as well as to Eva-chan."

"Not a problem." Takamichi said as he took the proffered gifts, inspected them momentarily before placing them in the interior pocket of his suit jacket then smiled looking to Magnus, "I hope to see you in a few days then, Magnus."

The other man merely nodded his head casually, and with that Takamichi turned and began his stroll towards the street where a taxi was waiting to take him to the Kyoto Station that would whisk him back to Mahora Academy.

Once Takamichi had disappeared into the distance, Magnus looked back to Eishun, the other man's expression just as somber as his own.

"Are you sure you don't want to fill him in on what you uncovered during the Death Visage." Eishun asked.

Magnus did not respond immediately, instead he began walking down the cobblestone walkway towards the street, and eventually in the direction of Nagi Springfield's apartment. The apartment was several kilometers away, bordering on the outskirts of Kyoto. Under normal circumstances, Magnus would have hailed a taxi for himself, or even tried his hand at teleportation. Instead though, he wanted to walk. It would give Eishun and him the necessary time to discuss in detail about the events that had transpired during Agamasaki's coup.

Eishun seemed content to follow after Magnus, waiting in patient silence for Magnus to begin.

"I'm a little surprised that you were able to brush away the whole deal with Agamasaki and Secundium so easily?" Magnus stated after several minutes.

Eishun merely shrugged, "Agamasaki was apprehended. Sukuna, while his physical form was destroyed during the fight, his spiritual essence was once again resealed. As for Fate Averruncus…we're still looking into him. Either way, the situation was resolved and no one was permanently injured. All in all, I would have to say that if anything it was more of a learning experience than anything else."

Magnus snorted. Eishun's explanation was casual not defensive, despite the pointed way that Magnus had phrased his question. It was good to see that the Magnus still could not intimidate the younger man; it bode very well for how the conversation would proceed.

"But Agamasaki isn't really who interests you, now is it?" Eishun said after a moment.

"That too-bit hack," Magnus grunted, "I've only had the displeasure of meeting her during the Death Visage and that was more than plenty for me." He sighed though, "But you're right, it's Secundium that concerns me."

"I don't think its Secundium, Magnus." Eishun replied drawing a skeptical look from the other man.

"I know what I saw." He retorted his tone icy.

"And I believe you. Trust me, of all of us who had dealings with Fate, you would certainly know best as to being able to identify him. All I'm saying is that we were all there when Secundium was killed, and you have to remember, he was a homunculus of the original Fate anyway. What makes you think that this isn't just another copy?"

Magnus expression turned thoughtful, "I would much rather believe that Secondium somehow survived than believe that someone with that sort of power could have summoned another homunculus of him."

"Either way, we don't have enough information to go on. The Association's intelligence network is pretty comprehensive, but even we haven't been able to figure out much about him, aside from the fact that about six weeks ago he was assigned to Japan by the Istanbul Magic Council." Magnus looked at him thoughtfully as he digested that bit of ingormation, "And before you start thinking about it, we've already uncovered that those 'assignment documents' were indeed forgeries. Istanbul's never heard of him."

"Understandable," Magnus replied, "It's not like Secundium—or for that matter Fate—didn't have access to the necessary resources to forge whatever documents he needed to get to wherever he needed to go."

"That's the same conclusion that we've come to. Of course, it makes attempting to find out anything more about him all the more troubling."

Magnus brushed the issue aside, while he was eager to learn exactly what this current Fate Averruncus was plotting. He knew that attempting to retrace the youth's past would be neigh impossible, especially if he still had access to Cosmo Entelecheia's resources.

"How did Agamasaki manage to stumble across him?" Magnus asked.

Eishun shrugged once again, "I think it's pretty clear that Fate sought her out, not vise versa."

"Yeah, I figured as much," He said with a sigh, "That makes Agamasaki all the more worthless."

"She's our concern now."

"That's fine with me, but what troubles me is what it might be that Fate wanted Agamasaki for. The only thing that I can think of is that it might have had something to do with destabilizing your Association's hierarchy enough to let the Conservatives take over."

"Agamasaki was a radical, not even the Conservatives would have rallied behind her."

"I'm not saying that they would. I'm only saying that if she had succeeded and followed through with her plan, the power vacuum that ensued would have to be filled, and who do you think would step up immediately." Magnus explained.

It did disturb Konoe that even to this day, Magnus continued to have a sound grasp of the situation involving the Kansai Association even after a ten-year absence. "The Conservatives would have had a stiff fight to contend with." He retorted.

"Stiff fight or not, no matter what happened, an internal struggle like that would certainly be enough to destabilize the Association long enough to truncate its influence in Japan." Magnus explained, "It would only be an added benefit should the Conservatives win out in the end."

Eishun finally realized where Magnus's train of thought was heading. "You're saying that what Fate really wanted was to subvert the Association's influence?"

"At least destabilize it in such a way that it appeared to be caused by an internal conflict at any rate." Magnus explained, "If Aragamaki had succeeded, that information would certainly become public knowledge and merely been brushed aside as simple internal friction. No one would remotely care to think that she was actually being played from the very beginning by her own hired-help."

"And with the Kansai Association destabilized…"

"The Kanto Association would have the perfect opportunity at expanding their sphere of influence throughout Japan."

"I'm not liking the sounds of that." Eishun replied uneasy. Apparently this train of thought had not occurred to the Elder of the West.

"Neither do I, but it all fits." Magnus explained, "It also means that whoever Fate is working with—or for—is somehow linked with the Kanto Association."

"Is that why you wanted to accept Takamichi's invitation to Mahora Academy?"

Magnus genuinely chuckled, "I accepted Takamichi's invitation because I was intrigued by the notion of returning to my old life. Unfortunately now…" He sighed, "I don't like the fact that someone like Fate is back on the scene. I thought we were finally through with him ten years ago. The very fact that he was manipulating events here to bolster the Kanto Association's influence doesn't sit well with me. Especially considering that your daughter and Setsuna are both in the very heart of the Kanto Association." Magnus snapped back.

Eishun did not speak immediately, and the other man could read his features clearly. This conversation had obviously disturbed the Elder, and now his thoughts turned to his concern for his daughter and her friends. "I'm really not liking where this is going."

"Which is why I'm going to Mahora Academy." Magnus stated simply, "because the last thing that I want to have happen is let either of them get mixed up in this."

"You think that whoever is working with Fate would go after Konoka?"

"She's your daughter, Eishun." Magnus said somberly, "But I'm not entirely certain that this is the case. She's a valuable asset in attempting to weaken Kansai, but not in the same way that Agamasaki's plan was. You can be replaced, the entire headquarters on the other hand…" He shrugged letting his voice trail.

"So why didn't you voice your suspicions to Takamichi-kun before he left?"

"Because at the moment, all I have are suspicions." He retorted, "And lets face it, Takamichi can be as reckless as Nagi was. Knowing him, had I told him of my concerns he would jump right into attempting to uncover who this collaborator might be." His expression was thoughtful for a moment, "I want to find this person, but we have to do it the right way."

"Which is why you wanted to go to Nagi's old apartment." Eishun explained.

"Exactly, Nagi left some amplification talismans there for me." He shook his head mirthfully, "Never thought I would see the day that I would need to use them though. With those talismans, Takamichi and I can investigate knowing that we've got the necessary support to handle anything that we might stumble across."

"You're not making me feel all that reassured." Eishun responded concerned.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about." Magnus said casually, as if this was the most natural thing in the world to be discussing. "On top of having Takamichi involved, there's Konoemon and Evangeline who can also help. We'll be able to get to the bottom of this, or at the very least continue to derail whatever it is that Fate is wanting to use the Kanto Association for."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They arrived at Nagi's old apartment, it had been over a decade since Magnus had set eyes on the impressive three-story complex. Constructed by the Kansai Association, the property was modern and impressive. Although, Magnus had to chide Eishun about his Association's gardening habits as he peered at the overgrown ferns that snaked down the concrete walls the flanked the entryway.

The trivial humor felt good for Eishun, it was a nice distraction from the concerns that now plagued him about Magnus's suspicions about the Kanto Association.

Still, despite what was troubling him, Magnus seemed to ignore it and entered the residence without reservation.

"Well, you guys certainly still have an impressive cleaning crew." Magnus said as he removed his boots, his socks brushing against the lustrously polished marble floors as he rounded the entryway's bend and into the main room.

As had always been the case, the towering book cabinet filled with rows of leather bound volumes that spanned the entire height of the building. The entire home had the same mystical air that at one time had been very familiar to Magnus. Now though, it appeared so alien. He truly had not realized just how detached he had become from the magic world until he looked at that bookcase and marveled at its impressive stature.

"Old memories?" Eishun asked as he paced past Magnus.

"Something like that." Magnus said, regaining his composure and walking up to the bookcase. He pulled one of the attached ladders near the left side and ascended about forty rows until he found himself facing a series of volumes pertaining to Demonology. His finger brushed across each volume until it settled on the seventh book. Removing it he descended and approached the small reading table.

Eishun watched with detached interest as Magnus opened the volume and quickly sifted through the pages until he was about a third of the way through. "Here we go." He said finally, causing Eishun to stir.

On the page was an array printed. It appeared that it had been added after the volume had been published and Magnus smiled as his finger circled the array, his lips moving but his voice silent.

After a moment, the array suddenly lit, and Eishun could feel the magical energy coursing through the array and imploding upon itself.

Within seconds the light was too brilliant even for Eishun to continue to stare into it and he diverted his eyes. Magnus on the other hand continued to chant, mesmerized by the light.

Almost as soon as it had come, the light diminished until finally fading altogether. Eishun still had to blink several times for his eyes to refocus to the normal lighting of the apartment. When he looked back though at the volume, a small talisman rested. It was about seven centimeters circular artifact.

"So that's the amplifier." Eishun asked, moving closer to examine the ornate amulet.

"Yep." Magnus said, clasping the penden. He held it up for inspection and marveled as the talisman spun slightly. To the average mundane, it appeared to be made out of pure gold and silver, but it lacked the weight of such metals, making the casual bystander think that it was costume jewelry. But to the two men present, they could sense the magical potential that the item pulsated with that revealed its true wealth.

"That seems to be a pretty powerful artifact." Eishun surmised after a moment.

The other man nodded, "Yeah, Nagi spent nearly three years pouring magical energy into this artifact." He explained as he donned the talisman around his neck. "I should be able to use the magic stored in it as a catalyst for my own spells." Despite himself, he knew that he had allowed a bit of skepticism to enter his voice. He had used various methods for using his magic since he had been cut off from his own natural circuit, still, relying on artifacts was…limiting. They wore out too quickly, in his opinion and the problem that he was faced with was that once they were expended he would be in the same place that he currently was in.

"Is that the only one that Nagi left?"

"Here at any rate." Magnus nodded, then smiled, "But I think this should be more than plenty for dealing with someone like Fate."

Eishun didn't know if Magnus was certain about that, or if he was simply portraying false bravado. Either way, he was not too inclined to ask. "So is that the only thing that you needed?" He asked.

"No," He said looking back at the bookcase. "There are a few other things that I need to look for around the country before I arrive at Mahora."

"And you're going to use the talisman to teleport there?" he asked.

Magnus actually managed to grin mischievously, "Oh certainly not. I've got another means of transportation here." He said before setting off towards the garage.

Inside the cavernous garage sat rows of sports cars, most of which that had been provided by the Kansai Association for Nagi's personal use. To the best of Eishun's recollection, he never once remembered the Thousand Master ever using any of the vehicles. Magnus looked indifferently at the rows of cars as well as he journeyed to the far end of the garage.

Resting near the far wall was the unmistakable silhouette of a Fenrir-1200 motorcycle. They were rare treasures, and Eishun was somewhat surprised that he never remembered seeing the motorcycle present in the garage. They had been popular many decades ago, especially in the Magical World where the manufacturer's factory resided. Eishun wasn't absolutely certain, but he was pretty positive that it was illegal for any Mage to own such a vehicle in the Old World.

As such, it hardly surprised Eishun that Magnus had one in his possession.

"And Nagi let you keep this here." He found himself saying as he inspected the motorcyle. It truly was a beautiful machine.

"Of course he did." Magnus said with a proud smile, "He had no reservations, especially after I let him ride it."

Somehow, the revelation hardly surprised Eishun; that was just like Nagi. "So you're going to take this to Mahora."

Magnus's expression sobered momentarily, "Yeah, it's the next best thing that I have as an alternative magical power source," He explained.

That was understandable; one of the avid selling points for the manufacturer had been that self-restoring Hadus Crystals powered the Fenrir-1200s. They were precious, valuable and scarce crystals that were only found in the Magical World, and was possibly the central reason behind the motorcycles near astronomical selling price.

For many owners, it simply allowed them unhindered mobility and range with their beloved magical motorcycles. For someone with Magnus's limitations though, those crystals represented a life-line that was unimaginable.

It also underscored the seriousness that Magnus was seeing this little trip of his and did nothing to settle Eishun's mind.

"Do you need me to accompany you?" He found himself asking a moment later.

"No," Magnus responded emotionlessly a moment later. "You can't go, Eishun."

"Magnus, I know what you're thinking."

He snorted a laugh, "I doubt anyone knows what it is that I'm thinking." He said darkly, "But either way, that still means that you can't go. If you were to suddenly stop by Mahora Academy this soon after Agamasaki's attack, it could alert whoever was hoping to benefit from her plan that you're onto them. I can't allow that."

"But my daughter's there."

"And you trusted Kanoemon enough to send her to Mahora Academy." Magnus shot back instantly.

"That was before she knew about our world." Eishun said growing angry. It was an unusual sight to see out of the other man.

"Eishun, please. Think about what your actions might do." Magnus said, his tone stern but understanding. "You can't simply go traipsing over to the Kanto Association and lay this all before Kanoemon. First of all, Elders simply do _not_ go paying random visits to each other's Association, that's why Kanoemon sent Negi and did not attend the school trip himself."

The older man wanted to balk at his explanation, but grudgingly he nodded. "Still…"

"You're a worried father, and I can understand that Eishun, but understand that by attempting to help out, you'll actually be putting Konoka in more danger. As I was saying, she represents only a slight bargaining chip against the Kansai Association, but she's a monumental one to you personally. You start fanning the flames to smoke these people out, what do you think they'll do?"

Eishun was unsettled and very unhappy with that explanation, worse yet simply because Magnus was correct. "Then what do you expect me to do?"

"Do nothing," Magnus lamented. "Let me and Takamichi conduct our investigation, and attempt to find these people." He paused, "I swear, I will not let anything happen to Konoka."

The Elder of the West sighed heavily, it was one of the most difficult decisions that any father ever had to make, but he knew Magnus too well, knew what his word meant. "You swear." He said finally.

"They'll have to kill me first before I let anything happen to her." Magnus said solemnly.

"All right," Eishun submitted, "But I want you to maintain contact with me. Takamichi has an orb that you can contact me at any time. I want regular updates."

Magnus nodded, "I'll do what I can." He admitted.

"Good, because if you need it, I'll have people standing by to assist you."

He didn't know exactly how well _that_ might work out. The Kansai and Kanto Associations, while cemented in a relative truce through the marriage of Eishun Konoe and Konoemon Kanoe's daughter years ago, were still on shaky terms with each other. Especially in lieu of the Kanto Association's embracing Western Magic. For Magnus to rely on Kansai Magi to settle an internal issue within the Kanto Association could end very poorly. Still, he knew that Eishun wasn't speaking to him as the Elder of the West, but as the terrified father who may have inadvertently sent his daughter into danger.

As such, Magnus was willing to accept the offering. "That'll be appreciated." He said looking back at the Fenrir. "But it looks like I need to get going." He said, "There are a few other places on the way to Mahora where I can find a few more talismans."

"You know how to get to the Academy."

Magnus fished into one of the saddlebags on the side of the motorcycle and retrieved a small fold out map. After opening it, it revealed a detailed map of Japan, with highlighted routes leading throughout the country. Mahora Academy was circled near Tokyo, of course there were the usual doodles that also occupied the map.

"Nagi's doing?" Eishun said with an uncontrollable chuckle.

Sure enough, Nagi had scribbled several messages throughout the map like: "Don't get lost!!!" and "Best Ramen Bar!" it was typical of the Thousand Master.

"Somehow, I think I'll survive." Magnus said with a sigh as he placed the map back in its compartment then looked back to Eishun. "Thanks again for all your hospitality, Eishun-dono."

For once, the other man didn't cringe at the honorific. "You take care, Magnus-dono, and keep in contact."

"Will do." He said as he donned the motorcycle helmet, and keyed the engine. At first the motorcycle did nothing, then with a billowing roar it came alive, magical energy surrounding the vehicle. "I'll have Takamichi get a hold of you once I arrive." He voice came back muffled through the helmet.

The younger man nodded as he approached the panel by the door to the garage and depressed the garage door opener. No sooner had it settled open did Magnus take off down the road.

"Take care, my friend." Eishun whispered sadly, wishing with all his being that he could be along side Magnus and Takamichi.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Escape

Inugami Kotaro sighed as he leaned against the cold concrete wall of his jail cell. His current predicament was the fallout following the defeat of Agamasaki Chigusa's attempt to take over the Kansai Association.

He instinctively scratched the back of his neck, where he could still feel the slight protrusion of the magical seal that had been placed upon him as part of his punishment for collaborating with Agamasaki. His powers were to be locked away for three years thanks to Agamasaki's failure. At first, he was terrified that he would no longer be able to use magic, but soon came to realize that it wasn't the worst loss that they could bestow upon him. After all, he was still alive and had the ability to focus his chi, and as such he wasn't entirely useless.

Still, the brandishing wand that they had used had hurt like hell, and the inflamed burning sensation was still with him, over two weeks later.

And to think that this all came about because he wanted to make a decent paycheck!

Grumbling he leaned back, his attention wondering. The Kansai Magistrate had told him that he would have to serve out a three month sentence, before he would be released. From there, he would be tracked by the Kansai Association until his probation was concluded and his magical powers restored.

The last two weeks had been hellish, simply because there had been nothing to do. He had merely been cooped up in this cell since his incarceration, with the only thing to look forward to was the three meals that they served him daily and the hour long recess session where he was allowed to stretch his legs from the confining cell. Attempting to occupy himself during this time had been pretty murderous on his system.

The sound of hushed voices suddenly distracted him from his thoughts. Frowning, he looked over towards the entrance to his cell, straining to hear.

As far as he knew the only other people in the cellblock were Agamasaki, and the two guards that were constantly present and they never spoke to either of them, unless it was to take them out of the cell.

The tones were conversation, which immediately piqued Kotaro's interest. _What could be going on?_

Slowly, he pressed himself against the bars of his cell so that he could pick up the acoustics better. He was grateful when he was rewarded with the sound of distinct voices. They were low, but he could make out what they were saying.

"So you're here to break me out." Agamasaki's voice snorted, "I'm glad to see that Fate is still concerned about being paid."

"He wouldn't have to go to these kinds of extremes had you not underestimated the Springfield child and his _ministra magi_," came the voice of whom Kotaro could only believe to be one of the guards.

_Wow, _he thought, _that white-haired kid's got connections all the way within the Kansai Magistrate!_

"And whose fault is that?" Agamasaki snarled back, "Fate was supposed to take care of them and he got himself defeated. That had nothing to do with me."

"The execution of your plan was flawed." The man replied coldly.

"Yeah, well in retrospect everything becomes so clear." She said snidely, "Look we can argue about who did what, and attempt to shift the blame until we're both blue in the face. How about we quit wasting time and you hurry up and get me out of here."

The man was silent for a moment, "Very well." He finally said.

Kotaro's eyes suddenly widened as he heard an ear-piercing scream reverberate through the cellblock from Agamasaki. Instinctively his body flew away from the entrance as the shrieking scream dulled down into a drowning gargle. After a moment there was nothing but silence.

Then the sounds of footsteps were heard, not fading off in the distance, but slowly rising in pitch, until Kotaro realized that whoever Agamasaki had been speaking to was now approaching his cell.

He gritted his teeth in anger as he realized that he was trapped.

_What's going on here!_ A small voice snapped in the back of his head, attempting to understand the surreal events that were happening around him.

The footsteps came to a stop and Kotaro found himself staring into the dark eyes of the man who had probably just murdered Agamasaki.

"Inugami Kotaro, I presume." There was no mistaking the voice of the man who had been speaking with Agamasaki.

Kotaro didn't say anything.

"Well it doesn't really matter." The man just smiled, a feature that made his face look gruesome and cruel. His right hand came up and gripped the cell bars, Kotaro saw the bars glow momentarily and then they were ripped from their foundations and hurled over the man's shoulder. The sound of metal slamming into concrete was almost deafening.

Now with nothing separating the assassin from Kotaro, and he began to approach him slowly.

Kotaro immediately regained his sense and placed himself in a combat stance, his claws slowly extending to offer him some physical protection.

This didn't seem to faze the man one bit as he continued towards him. "And what do you think you're going to do with those, my boy?" He said casually, as if the young dog-boy offered no threat.

Kotaro blinked and realized just how in-error he had actually been. In that split second, the man struck, gripping Kotaro by the hair to hold him in place, while his other hand slammed a bone-shattering blow to his face.

He had always drawn confidence from his physical resilience. Still, in that moment he was caught completely by surprise. The sheer speed was unprecedented and the force behind the blow, no doubt magically reinforced, caused splotches of darkness to fill his vision and his mind seemed to freeze up.

His arms sagged limp as he felt the beckoning of unconsciousness wanting to snatch him away. Still he fought it, knowing that if he passed out he would never wake up again.

"Now that's a good boy," The assassin cooed as Kotaro felt the ground coming up to meet him. His head never slammed into the ground how as the assassin grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and began dragging him out of the cell and down the short corridor towards the door.

He attempted to right himself, to do anything to deter the attacker, but his body was too weak. It was then, in the fog of his mind he realized that there had to be something more in that punch than merely a magical reinforcement spell. He wondered if some sort of paralysis spell had been cast a well.

Either way, his heart fell into his stomach as he gazed lazily over to Agamasaki's cell as they passed it. He could feel the blood draining from his features as he saw what remained of the woman who had been his employer up until the Sukuna Lake incident.

Blood was splashed all over the cell walls, floor and ceiling, and of course Agamasaki herself. Still fresh, with sickening spurts oozing from where her throat had been torn out.

Kotaro felt the sensation of bile rising from his throat, but he resisted the urge with all his might.

"You've been a naughty boy." The assassin said as they passed the cell. "Killing poor Agamasaki-san like that. You're a bad boy. And you know what we do to dogs that bite their masters don't you." The man caroled sadistically.

Before long they were out of the jail, and shortly thereafter out of the Kansai Association's headquarters and trailing into the surrounding forests.

"Why…" He managed to whimper through the haze that had settled over his body.

"Oh, it's nothing personal," The assassin said, "just having to tie up loose ends, you know clean up." He said with a grin. "Agamasaki was the big one, you just happen to be the lucky scapegoat. They'll think that you killed her while breaking out and that'll be that." His face once again broke into that savage grin. "Oh, and don't worry, they'll never find your body, I've got myself a pretty good incineration spell that doesn't leave many traces of a body."

Kotaro gritted his teeth, thinking furiously on how he was going to escape from this mess. While his thoughts whirled, the man continued talking.

"Oh but don't worry, your efforts won't be lost. My employer was more than a little upset about what happened over at Sukuna Lake. Very upset about that Springfield brat and his servants. Wish I had been given that assignment to be honest with you. After what they did to that Colossus Ogre as well as to Fate-sama, I would have loved to take them on." He sighed, "But instead, I'm stuck having to finish off a woman and some half-breed mutt."

With that last statement he threw Kotaro to the ground, his body landing heavily on the sparse grass and hard soil.

"Oh well, after I'm done with you I can get some much needed vacation time, so if you don't mind I'm going to make this quick." He said as he outstretched his arm.

Kotaro knew that he had to act. He breathed in deeply, mustering all the chi he could to clear his mind and purge his body of whatever had come over him. It worked, to an extent at least, his head cleared and he regained some strength, but he doubted he could take this assassin on in a fair fight in his current state. But he had to do something otherwise he was going to die.

The man's incantation was nearing its end, with a swirling crimson fireball forming in the palm of his hand, aimed directly at Kotaro's body.

He waited until the final word had been spoken when he lunged into action, channeling all of his chi through his body he moved with everything he could muster.

The assassin oddly seemed taken aback by the sudden attack, his jaw dropping as Kotaro tore at the man's extended arm. His claws dug deeply into the man's upper arm. He gripped the perforated tissues within an iron grip, tearing them away and disabling the man's arm.

The assassin screamed in pain as the boy maimed him, but he didn't have time to recover as Kotaro used his other hand to twist the man's arm, aiming his palm into the assassin's face. The incineration spell finally completed its charge and exploded forward.

Kotaro was given one fleeting moment to see the assassin's eyes widen in horror as the fireball suddenly engulfed his face.

Not even a scream came from the man as his head simply disappeared, replace only with a column of ash. The body collapsed to the ground, motionless and Kotaro wheezed painfully as he too collapsed.

He breathed in gusts of air, but all he could smell was the sickening stench of burnt flesh and air.

It was then that the world seemed to regain focus and he looked over at the corpse of the assassin. Looking down at his blood covered hands, his stomach finally heaved as he realized what he had done. He was able to roll over before his stomach finally heaved.

It took him nearly five minutes to regain control over himself, coughing sporadically. He was completely drained, but he knew that he had to get out of here. Despite his own survival, there was no doubt in his mind that now the Kansai Association would believe that he had killed Agamasaki.

Not that it would do him any good, he realized painfully as he turned over and crawled over to a tree to lean against. The Magistrate's tracking spell meant that it would take little time for them to apprehend them once they realized that he had escaped.

Carefully, he leaned over and pulled some leaves from bush next to him and attempted to use it to clean his hands of the blood. The smell was really starting to get to him.

What was he to do? He thought as he attempted to get as much of it cleaned from him.

He then remembered what the assassin had said. Fate was sending someone to go after Negi…

Negi was at Mahora Academy, which just so happened to be within the confines of the Kanto Association, a place that Kansai wouldn't dare to intrude upon. It might offer him at least some temporary sanctuary.

And of course, he couldn't let someone kill Negi before he could challenge him to a rematch either!

Nodding his head absently, he stood and slowly began pacing through the forest, heading in the general direction of Mahora Academy. He had to get there fast, he thought his head still filled with fog from whatever spell the assassin had used on him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Takahata Takamichi was still smiling from the incident that he had just fallen into outside of Evangeline A.K. McDowell's log cabin as Karakuri Chachamaru placed a warm cup of tea before him.

"Thank you very much, Chachamaru-kun." Takamichi said with a genuine smile as he took the offered tea. He inhaled a delicious aroma then sipped it carefully, savoring the taste. "It's wonderful, you've really outdone yourself this time."

"Thank you, Takahata-sensei." The android said, bowing her head. Still, Takamichi would have sworn that he saw the android's face flush slightly from the compliment.

"So looks like the children in quarreling again." The youthful appearing girl sitting across from him snorted.

"Since Negi-kun arrived, Asuna-kun seems to certainly find herself in the most embarrassing of situations." Takamichi explained remembering the incident. He had just arrived back at Mahora Academy a few hours ago, and gone straight to the Headmaster to brief him about his journey.

Konoe Konoemon had greeted him warmly and was more than grateful that Takamichi had returned in relatively good health.

He had to admit that the Headmaster's enthusiasm had been curbed slightly once Takamichi had brought up the subject of Magnus Locke, and the invitation that he had extended to him.

The Headmaster said that he would certainly have to look over situation and speak with Magnus personally before he was willing to settling on having him remain at Mahora Academy. In all honesty, the vibe that Takamichi had gotten from the old man wasn't promising, but Konoe had told him that he would hear Magnus out and make his judgment based on that conversation.

Takamichi had given the Headmaster the gift that Eishun had handed him before he left Kyoto, now he was at Evangeline's doing the same thing, as well as bending her ear to see what she thought about the prospect of Magnus's impending arrival.

"Yes, well I'm not really all that interested in what boya and his little interplay with Kagurazaka." Evangeline said sipping her own tea. "So what brings you all the way out here Takamichi-kun?"

"The Elder of the West wanted me to give this to you." He said placing the small present on the table and sliding it over to Evangeline.

The blonde-haired vampire mage looked at it skeptically, as if it were some sort of specimen under a microscope. Suddenly realization dawned on her and she reached out for the package, quickly opening the small wrapper and grinning ear to ear. "So he was able to find it!" She beamed.

Takamichi looked at her intrigued. "Something you asked for during your visit to Kyoto?"

"You could say that!" She said as she held out several small bags, "While I was there, he prepared this must delicious tea. I told him that I would appreciate if he could acquire some for me back here." Her expression softened, "I'm glad he was able to find this."

Takamichi was happy that he could have brought some small comfort to the young girl, really a woman who was ten or fifteen times his age actually. Evangeline's curse cast upon her by Nagi Springfield had confined her to Mahora Academy for the last decade and a half. It was a terrible punishment, but given Evangeline's mental state at the time that the curse had been cast, it was more than fitting.

Of course, being confined within the perimeter of Mahora Academy wasn't exactly the worst thing that could befall the vampire mage. It wasn't like she was being locked away in some stoic dungeon for centuries on end. Mahora Academy was the largest school-city in the world, with over a hundred and eighty thought inhabitants. It was a spanning academic metropolis.

But it was also confinement, no matter how you look upon it, and to have a curse placed upon you for as long as it had been, it had to be suffocating.

There was a time that Takamichi felt little remorse for the woman sitting across from him, he realized that this impression of her though had slowly shifted ever since Negi had arrived. There was something about that boy that had changed this girl. He wasn't about to delude himself into believing that she had completely turned around. But the more he thought of it, the more he realized that he was seeing various parallels between Evangeline and Magnus.

Then again, perhaps it was a little too early to tell.

"Also," Takamichi said after his moment of introspective, "We might have a new visitor arriving within the next couple of days."

"Oh, someone I know?" She asked mischievously.

"Mathias the _Ala Ferrum_." Takamichi said.

Evangeline had been in the process of attempting to sip her tea, a process that was halted immediately as she looked at him with narrowed eyes. Slowly, she placed the tea cup down and looked at him levelly. "I'm sorry; I must have been struck deaf there for a moment. Either that or I'm hallucinating, but I thought you just said that Mathias the Iron Wing is coming to Mahora Academy."

Takamichi nodded, surprised by Evangeline's sober, mature response to his statement.

That maturity lasted exactly two more seconds after he finished nodding.

The table that separated the two suddenly become upended and tossed in a corner, taking with it the tea which clattered against the wooden floor as Evangeline grabbed Takamichi by the collar and brought him eye to eye with her.

"Why in the twelve hells is he coming here!" She shouted, her eyes spitting daggers at him. "Of all the people I would expect you to associate with…" her voice seemed to drown out, as she attempted to catch her breath, releasing Takamichi from her hold as she began to pace around the room, mumbling incoherently.

Chachamaru watched her master babble relentlessly, looking back to Takamichi, she tilted her head to one side. "Excuse me, Takamichi-sensei, but who exactly is this Mathias individual?"

Takamichi actually couldn't restrain a smile as Evangeline continued on, her mumbling turning into a full blown rant, although it didn't appear to be directed at him exactly. "If I remember correctly, they were old acquaintances many years ago." He explained.

"_Acquainteances!_" Evangeline suddenly stopped in her tracks, glaring to Takamichi, "The man's an arrogant, self-centered, sadistic, egotistical, high-born, blue-blooded aristocratic ass!" She snarled angrily.

Takamichi shrugged looking over to Chachamaru, "Well he might be those things as well."

"Then why in the hell is he coming here!" Evangeline snapped.

"I ran into him while I was in Sanbalya," Takamichi said momentarily longing for his cup of tea. "He helped me take care of some of the radical militants that were there."

"Sanbalya," the vampire rolled the name over once, her expression thoughtful. "Why in the world would he be in such a dreadful country like that?"

"Apparently he was working as a healer there."

"A healer?" Evangeline said deadpan, "Mathias the Iron Wing of _Death_, a healer."

"Well, yes, I understand it's a bit of a change for him."

It was then that Evangeline could no longer restrain herself; she suddenly burst into fits of laughter. At first, he thought it was mere mockery of what he had just told her. It wasn't until she collapsed onto her back laughing hysterically that he realized it was genuine.

"A healer!" She managed to pant as she gasped for air, "Oh, Takamichi, that's a good one! I almost believed you there, but the healer part, that's way too over the top."

"I'm being absolutely serious." He stated his expression sober and serious.

It took Evangeline a moment to look him over and realized that he had indeed been the truth. "You're serious." She replied.

"I am."

"Well…are you _sure_ it was Mathias then? I mean we're talking about one of the greatest monsters to walk the earth here. I simply can't imagine him being a healer, of all things."

"Apparently, the curse seems to have caused him to have a change of heart." Takamichi said, restraining himself from pointing out that until Evangeline had been cursed to remain within the borders of Mahora Academy she had also undergone a metamorphosis.

"I think not." She said firmly. "And I'm a little surprised that you would believe him so easily. He was one of Cosmos Entelecheia's foremost generals during the War."

"He also did his part in helping _Ala Rubra_ end that very war." Takamichi defended. "Granted, I had my suspicions of him as well. Let's face it though, Nagi trusted him and he never betrayed us in all the years after the war."

"You spent what? Ten years with the man?" Evangeline snorted at Takamichi's affirmation. "That doesn't mean anything. That's not even a drop in the bucket for him. He could simply be biding his time for the right moment to strike. Worst of all you're letting him come here."

"He's changed Eva." Takamichi reaffirmed. "You weren't there during that last battle, you don't realize what sacrifices he made to bring the War to its end."

"It doesn't really matter," she countered as she walked over to a small dresser where several dolls rested. Unconsciously, she seemed to be brushing away specks of dust that had accumulated on the dolls' shoulders. "Thank you for bringing the tea and telling me of Mathias's impending arrival. You have a good night."

Takamichi was about to continue the argument, but Evangeline merely brushed it aside, not longer interested in carrying out a discussion about someone she detested so deeply. "Very well then," He said standing, "Thank you for the tea." He said as he began making his way towards the door.

"Chachamaru, make certain that Takamichi gets back to his car safely, will you."

The android seemed somewhat surprised by the request, but still even that was enough for her to question her master's orders. "Of course, my master," She stated obediently, walking a step behind Takamichi.

As they journeyed down the trail through the Mahora Forest, Takamichi could sense that the android seemed to have something on her mind. "You wanted to ask me something, Chachamaru-kun."

"If you will pardon me sensei, I was curious as to why Master would appear to disapprove so much of this Mathias the Iron Wing? Does he actually represent as much of a threat as my Master would believe?"

It was an honest question, and one that took Takamichi a moment to formulate the proper response. He reached into his pocket and removed a cigarette, hoping to buy him the time he needed to compose his thoughts properly. After it was lit and he exhaled the first lungful of smoke he came to his conclusion. "When Evangeline and he were together, I remember reading about a great many terrible things that they did, but that was a very long time ago." He shrugged, "well before my lifetime anyway."

He inhaled once more, "During the war, he fought with Cosmo Entelecheia helping escalating the war tensions through his actions. At that time, I did indeed think that perhaps he was one of the most dangerous people in existence. But during that last battle…" His voice trailed off.

"I'd like to think that I could believe that people can change." He said as they neared the road at the edge of the forest where his car was parked. "Mathias changed that day, did things that I don't think I could have been able to do had I been in his shoes." He shook his head, pausing in his stride to look back at the young woman standing behind him. The android looked at him intently, her expression betraying nothing of what was going on in her positronic mind. "He is indeed dangerous, but he's also troubled and needs a place to feel accepted. I guess that's why I asked him to come to Mahora. He has goodness in his soul and I think he would be a fine addition to Mahora."

"How does the Headmaster feel about this?" Chachamaru's question surprised him, but given the relationship that Evangeline and Konoe-sama shared, it wasn't surprising in the least.

"He says he wishes to speak with Mathias. He'll have the final say then."

"I see. Thank you very much, Takahata-sensei. Will you need me to escort you any further?"

Takamichi looked over to where his Viper SRT was parked. He smiled sympathetically at the android. "No thank you, Chachamaru-kun, I think I can find my way home from here."

"Very well, you have a good evening." She said bowing.

"And you too, good night." He finished his cigarette, flicking the smoldering cherry out and then placing it in the ashtray of his car as he entered.

As Chachamaru disappeared back into the forest, Takamichi leaned back further in his driver's seat, not turning on the car. He just looked up at the evening sky and wondered if perhaps he had made a mistake by inviting Mathias here. It was beginning to appear as if he would not be given the warm welcome that he believed awaited him.

It wasn't fair, he realized sadly. No one here had seen the things that he had, seen the true person that Mathias was. He shook his head, knowing that the only thing that he could do was defend Mathias as best he could. Beyond that, he seemed completely helpless.

He drove home that night his thoughts continually attempting to determine how best he could help the man who had risked everything to save not only him but all of the Magical World twenty years ago.

* * *

Well, things are starting to gear up, as both Magnus and Kotaro are both making their ways to Mahora from Kyoto.

I hope everyone is enjoying the story, but as this is my first fan-fic that I've written I would love to hear back from everyone about their thoughts: what do you like? what do you hate, what do you think I can improve on? I appreciate it all! Thanks and hopefully I will have a couple more chapters ready to go here in a few days!

Thanks agian for reading,

N.D. Matthieus


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

The clock tower over Library Island chimed magnificently four times, echoing throughout Mahora City but hardly heard by any of its citizens.

The man standing near the World Tree Plaza was bathed in the sound. Still, just as soon as it had come it faded into merely a memory, leaving him instead to focus on the business that had brought him here tonight.

"Not exactly an inconspicuous place for a meeting." A new voice said coming from the darkness. Slowly, the speaker moved out of the shadows, revealing himself to be a young man, perhaps ten or twleve years of age, with platinum white hair and a stern expression.

"At this time of night, it really isn't all that troublesome," Hei Sung-Lou replied simply. "Besides, I cast a deflection barrier around the area. Given its presence to the World Tree, no one would think that the spell was anything other than residual magical energy from the Tree."

"Well at least you're taking some precautions." Fate Averruncus said looking around the Plaza. "Very well," He continued after a pause as he looked at the World Tree, "Given how close the operation is coming to completion, I've brought your master something to deal with loose ends."

"Loose ends?" Hei asked curiously.

"Yes, most specifically Negi Springfield and his _ministra magi_ Kagurazaka Asuna. They proved to be overly adept in Kyoto. Given the damage that they were able to inflict in Kyoto, we need to have them dealt with before we can continue forward."

Hei nodded absently, looking at the boy with an emotionless gaze. "So what is it that you wish for us to do?"

Fate removed a small bottle from his pocket and tossed it to the older man. "There is a powerful demon and his associates sealed away in that bottle. They should be more than adequate in dealing with the kid and the girl. Understood?"

Hei looked down as the small bottle, he could read some of the magical righting that was inscribed into its small form. After a moment, he nodded. "Of course, my master is always grateful for your assistance Fate-sama."

The white-haired boy nodded, "Good, please contact me after those two have been dealt with, then we'll move onto the next phase."

"Of course." Hei said and just like that the boy disappeared into a puddle of water, leaving the other man to pocket the bottle and make his way through Mahora towards where his master waited for him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Well this is certainly interesting." Hei's master replied as he handed her the bottle.

She inspected it with a keen eye, "High level magical seal as well." She noted as she looked at the inscription. "Fate-sama really wasn't kidding when he said that this would get the job done. Still, I think it is a bit of overkill just to use against a ten-year-old boy and a junior high girl."

"If you would like I could dispatch both of them, my master." Hei said, just a trace of eagerness evident in his voice.

While the idea was tempting she continued to smile at him and shook her head. "No, as much as I enjoy that idea, I think we'll follow Fate-sama's directions and simply let these demons contribute their part to the plan." She paused, "consider it restoring balance as it were."

"Well they were instrumental in defeating Agamasaki in Kyoto, Master." Hei replied understanding what she was getting at.

"Yes, well I wouldn't place too much faith in all those rumors floating around." She replied casually, "from what I heard from the Old Man; the High Daylight Walker was the one who defeated the Colossus Ogre."

She smirked, "Truth be told, I heard that little Negi and Kagurazaka really pulled a number over on Fate-sama. I really wonder if this is how he deals with revenge."

Neither one of the two had ever known Fate to show any sort of emotion, not even revenge. Still the revelation was…insightful, even if it might be entirely inaccurate Hei thought.

"Either way, we'll have to wait to break to seal until nightfall tomorrow." She concluded.

"Why so late, Master." He asked.

"I can't just break this seal here. Something like that will set off alarms all throughout Mahora. Breaking a seal of this magnitude will require a lot of magical energy, something that would be detected by the other magi present." She shook her head. "No we'll have to gather a piece from the World Tree. Using it as a catalyst, we'll have to break the seal outside of Mahora, perhaps in the mountains to the west."

"Of course, Master, it will be done."

She smiled sweetly at her _minister magi_. He was such an obedient partner, she thought happily. "Okay, well you had better get back to the dorms, you have classes in the morning, and I need to prepare for my lectures."

"Of course, Master." With that he was gone, leaving her to toil over the small bottle, her thoughts turning to the events that had transpired over the last two weeks.

The Kyoto operation was supposed to be a pretty simple ordeal. Using the Konoe girl as a catalyst and summoning the Colossus Ogre to inflict devastating destruction on the Kansai Association and enable Agamasaki to stir up enough discord that it would leave Kansai weak and feeble for months afterward. It was the sort of opportunity that came only once in a lifetime and she knew, like everyone else who had aided in formulating the plan, that the Kanto Association would have no choice but to take advantage of the opportunity. The hope had been that in the chaos and confusion that would ensue once the Kansai Association stabilized everyone would be too focused on external issues and expansionistic mentality to concern themselves with what was happening inside the Kanto Association's borders, within their very headquarters to be precise. The multitude of advantages it would have granted her had simply been daunting.

But that was how plans like that usually worked out. Everything had hinged on Agamasaki's success, something that proved to be a bit too ambitious to place such trust in that fool. She hadn't been the only one who had thought that way either though, that was why Fate-sama had overseen the entire operation personally.

Yet, in the end it still ended in failure. Not only was the Kansai Association still intact, but now there was the real possibility that their organization had left themselves exposed to suspicion to their activities. While a small part of her mind wanted to merely balk at the notion, reassure her that nothing had gone wrong she was too honest with herself to think otherwise.

No matter what had happened, the plan had failed, and in that failure that they had revealed themselves to the rest of the magical world. All it would take would be the right people to look at the fallout the right way and they would see the fingerprints that Fate-sama had left. Then there was the possibility of it being traced back to them at Mahora.

And, she noted looking at the bottle, if _this_ plan were to fail as well; it would only strengthen their resolve to continue to look into what was truly happening behind the scenes.

It was a dangerous game that she was playing, and a part of her wished that she could simply throw her hands up in the air and call it quits. Unfortunately, she was committed and as such was captivated to follow this through to wherever it might end.

She refused to think beyond that point. Inhaling deeply, she placed the bottle in the lowest drawer of her desk and then removed the syllabus from her top drawer and laid it before her on her desk. It was time that she put away her true persona and returned to living the lie as an ordinary professor at Mahora University.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kotaro tried his best not to look over his shoulder as he entered the train's luggage compartment. After fighting through the night to purge the remnants of the spell that the assassin had cast on him, he had been left drained. Topple on the fact that he had stumbled all the way to Kyoto Station, unable to find any food he could hardly believe that he was still conscious.

The adrenaline spike that he received when he noticed a Kansai mage at the station immediately cleared the cobwebs from his mind and put him on edge. He hadn't been stupid enough to believe that they weren't onto him, not after the grizzly scene that the assassin had left in Agamasaki's cell. Still, it had placed him on guard the whole time as he snuck through the train station, doing his best to behave as an ordinary ten-year-old boy looking for his relatives.

There was a moment that he had thought he had spotted another mage, one that was staring a little too intently in his direction. It was only when the man had attempted to move towards him did he act. He had found the nearest police officer, causing the mage to divert from his interception.

Despite the influence the Kansai Association might have, they were not the law and did not operate within the same jurisdiction as the regular government. As such, it would have caused a rather troublesome scene should the mage simply appear out of nowhere and attempted to snatch the boy while he was in front of the officer.

Seeing that his momentary brainstorm had paid off, he quickly departed from the officer, simply inquiring as to which track the Tokyo-bound train was located. The officer had asked if he was traveling alone, and Kotaro had been quick to reassure the helpful officer that he was meeting his aunt and uncle at the track, but had merely forgotten its location.

The excuse had allowed him to bypass most of the security around the train station, as Kotaro had told the officer that his relative had his boarding ticket.

Once he had been escorted to his proper destination, Kotaro had bid farewell to the officer, saying that he could see his aunt off in the distance pointing out some random older woman near the tracks. It seemed to work well enough for the officer who nodded his welcome and returned to his duties.

It had been disturbingly easy to smuggle himself into the luggage compartment, between a pair of large suit cases, he found himself squeezed and hopefully unnoticeable by the train attendants.

His thoughts turned to what would he do next once he reached Tokyo in a few hours. Certainly he knew that he would have to make his way to Mahora Academy, but how was he going to find Negi and warn him about what was happening. Worse yet, would he be able to even make it there in time?

These thoughts continued to loom in his mind, yet even their focus hardly permitted him from being able to continue to fend off the wisps of drowsiness that soon clutched him. Before he ever realized it, his head was propped against the larger of the two suitcases and he was quietly dozing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Magnus was not enjoying his luck as the Fenrir roared to life and he worked his way back onto the highway towards Tokyo. The day before he had managed to stop as three other locations that Nagi and he had worked out for storing magical talismans that he could use should the time come. All of them had turned up empty though.

The first location had been an old Shinto shrine that had been destroyed in a fire about six years back, destroying the book that Nagi had left in the priest's care so many years ago. The next place had been a public library in a small rural town that wasn't even listed on many of the maps of Japan. The librarian had had the unfortunate task of telling him that the book had been lost about four years earlier. They had been eager to inform him that they had replaced the volume, but without the magical array that Nagi had placed on one of the pages, it was just a simple, ordinary book of no value to Magnus.

Just when he thought his day couldn't have gotten any worse, his recovering of the last magical talisman had truly left him feeling miserable. He thought everything was going so well, especially when he discovered that the third book was actually still in the place that Nagi had left it, locked away safely within a storage locker that was owned by Austro-Africus Aetemalls.

Seeing how most of the day had been expended just by him attempting to track down those books, he felt that perhaps it would be best to simply bed down at the local inn and retrieve the artifact.

The book seemed unmarred and fine, which made everything all the worse when he actually summoned the medallion that Nagi had sealed away within it.

No sooner had the light diminished from the magical array and the medallion appeared, an exact copy of the one he already possessed, did he witness it dissolve into dust.

He sat there staring at what had once been a magical talisman, now nothing more than trash. He couldn't explain it, but somehow the magic that had been stored in the artifact had dissipated over the years leaving only the empty husk to remain.

Magnus wasn't normally one to focus on events past, but he was beginning to think that perhaps he was journeying on a fool's errand. Still, despite what he might have told Eishun, there was little chance that the single magical artifact would be remotely enough to sustain him in a prolonged fight with whoever was working with Fate at Mahora Academy.

There were still three locations left on his map that Nagi had provided him. He might be a little disheartened by the whole endeavor; he was still more than willing to follow it through to its end.

He had been on the highway heading east for about thirty minutes when he realized that it was probably best that he contact Takamichi. He glanced down at the Fenrir's clock display and noted that he shouldn't be in class just yet.

Quickly turning off towards a rest stop, he parked the bike in front of a pay phone and fished into his pocket to remove the card that Takamichi had given him back in Sanbalya.

After depositing the necessary coinage into the payphone he waited patiently for the number to transfer to his cell phone.

"This is Takahata," came a voice after a moment.

"Takamichi, its Magnus."

"Magnus, where are you at?"

He looked around the rest stop and shrugged, "I'm guessing about three hundred kilometers from Mahora, give or take."

"Are you all right?" He asked concern evident in his voice.

"Oh, I'm fine, just finishing up on some of those errands that I was telling you about. Anyway, I was calling to tell you I should be making my way to the Academy by around nightfall. How is everything looking there?"

There was a pause, "Well, I told the Headmaster that you were on your way. I'm not going to lie; he has mixed feelings about the whole thing."

"Yeah, well what do you expect," Magnus retorted, but didn't carry it further. "Anyway, no matter what happens, I'll be there tonight. We can worry about what happens from there afterwards. All right?"

"Fine, if you need, you can crash at my place for the night."

"I appreciate it, Takamichi." He glanced around the rest stop once more then sighed, "I'm going to let you go, just wanted to give you the heads up that I was driving into the Academy and not dropping out of the sky."

"That's good. I don't think we have any mediation ponds deep enough for you to crash into around here anyway."

Magnus chuckled at the retort, "well it's good to know that you're always looking after my well being. Take care Takamichi and I'll see you tonight."

"Same to you, Magnus."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Takamichi sighed as he placed the cell phone back into his coat pocket and entered into Mahora Academy's all girls junior high school. He was still distracted by what had transpired yesterday with both the Headmaster as well as Evangeline.

It didn't look like Magnus was going to receive a very warm welcome here. If that were the case, he would not be surprised to see the man simply move on to wherever fate seemed to guide him. It wasn't the sort of treatment that he should be given, but then he also knew that there were things about Magnus that many people could not overlook either.

It was then that he was beginning to wonder if perhaps he wasn't overlooking Magnus's actions himself. Following the Great War, Mathias had been with _Ala Rubra_ off and on for the next ten years. His master, Geteau and Mathias had even become friends, a relationship which had carried over to Takamichi as well. He was older now, knew exactly what Mathias had done before he had become a part of _Ala Rubra_, but none of them condemned him for his actions…

Was there really a possibility that Magnus being at the academy could endanger the other students, pose some sort of threat to anyone at Mahora?

He shook his head absently; this was no time to second guess himself. His master had taught him to judge people by their actions in the moment, and not to be bogged down by their past. Magnus had helped those villagers in Sanbalya and saved Takamichi's life and that was what truly cemented his belief that Magnus was a trustworthy and honorable man.

With his mind settled, he looked up to see of a trio of individuals approaching which instinctively made a smile come to his face. "Good morning, Negi-kun, Asuna-kun, Konoka-kun." He said warmly.

"Oh!" The redheaded girl with twin long ponytails tied back by a pair of bell-shaped hair ties flushed at the comment, "G-good morning, Takahata-sensei." Kagurazaka Asuna stuttered in surprise.

"Good morning, Takahata-sensei," came Asuna's roommate and friend Konoe Konoka, "Did you just get back from your trip?"

"Oh, I got back last night." He said with a smile at the cheerful girl's carefree demeanor. In today's world, these were the moments he enjoyed most about his life. Too often he was sent to troublesome places like Sanbalya and forced to witness such terrible things. To see these children so happy and carefree were truly the anchor he needed on his soul. "It was pretty simple, nothing too big happened," he lied casually.

"Well that's good." The girl with long dark hair beamed. "Well we had better get going." She said looking over to the third person in the company.

Negi Springfield, all of ten years old, looked unfocused and a little uneven. "Is there something wrong, Negi-kun?" Takamichi asked concerned.

At first the young teacher did not seem to realize that someone was speaking to him. He simply dazed off in the distance, then for a moment his focus returned. "Oh, Takamichi, it's good to see you this morning, how are you?"

"I'm fine, kiddo. Although, I'm a little more worried about you, are you feeling all right?" He asked looking into the boy's brown eyes and seeing them still unfocused."

"Oh, I'm fine. I just have to get off to class. You take care, Takamichi." He said as he stumbled down the hallway towards his homeroom class.

Takamichi, unconvinced by the young boy's words looked back to Asuna and Konoka. "Is he all right?"

Now Asuna's timid, quiet demeanor changed instantly, "The little brat is pushing himself too hard." She snapped suddenly, catching Takamichi off-guard. "Ever since the Kyoto Trip, he's been like this. Training, training, training, on top of managing all of his duties, he's pushing himself too hard!"

"He's even training under Eva-chan." Konoka piped in.

"The point is that he's only ten years old he doesn't need to push himself like this, it'll be bad for his health!" Asuna seethed.

"I see." Takamichi managed to muddle a word in between the two girl's tirade. "How much sleep has he been getting?

"Not enough!" Asuna snapped. "Just last night, we had to carry him up the ladder to his loft so he could get to sleep!"

"That's not good at all." Takamichi said somberly, "Perhaps he should take a couple of days off."

"Oh, and who do you think is going to make him Takahata-sensei?" the redhead asked genuinely exasperated. "He doesn't listen, just carries on like there is nothing wrong. He is such a twirp at times!" She grumbled.

"Well, I'll speak with him this afternoon," Takamichi reassured.

"If you can catch him," Asuna sighed, "He runs off to Eva-chan's place right after class."

"I'll see what I can do." Takamichi said with a gentle smile as he glanced down at his watch. "Anyway, you should probably be on your way, I don't want you girls to be late on my account."

"Okay, thanks Takahata-sensei," Konoka said as she wrapped an arm around Asuna to direct her towards their homeroom.

"U-uh, y-yeah, Thank you Takahata-sensei!" Asuna yelled back after a moment of regaining her composure.

He watched them hurry down the hall with a smirk of amusement. He really did love seeing Asuna like this. She was carefree and happy. Of course, he was a little more concerned about that schoolgirl crush she seemed to have on him, but like all things it would be something that she would grow out of and become nothing more than a happy memory to recount to her friends years down the road.

Although, Negi's behavior did have him concerned. Eishun had been impressed by Negi and his friends' actions during the Agamasaki Incident, and Takamichi had been willing to leave it at just that. But after witnessing the Death Visage with Magnus, he was a little more unsettled.

Fate Averruncus, even if he was yet another homunculus was still a high level mage, and if it hadn't been for Evangeline's intervention both Negi and Asuna could very well have been killed by the boy.

It was the threat that the boy had represented that might have startled Negi into thinking that it was his responsibility to become stronger.

While he was all for the young boy to strive to become a competent and powerful mage, he was still ten years old and deserved to live his life, not worry about what might be lurking in the shadows.

After all, that was why the Headmaster had Takamichi and the other magi teachers around Mahora. The school was supposed to be a carefree and safe environment.

He would just have to speak with Negi, and discover exactly what it was that the boy's goal in all this truly was.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A crackle of distant thunder droned during Negi's finishing statements for his English lesson for Class 3-A.

"All right everyone that should be it, you all have a nice day." Negi said as the class went through its routine of standing and bowing as he left the classroom. The day had been exhausting, even more so than usual he thought as he slumped out into the adjacent corridor.

As he made his way through the schools hallways towards the exit, he realized that as much as he attempted to think about what had happened today, his thoughts were blurry and distant.

_Maybe Evangeline will let me catch up on some sleep before we begin our training_. He thought drowsily as he missed his step and he tumbled down the stairs.

His eyes shot open in surprise as he saw the stairway landing coming to meet him.

_Oh no, this is going to hurt!_ He vaguely remembered thinking as he was about to make contact.

The sudden pain that he was anticipating though never came.

It took him almost two entire seconds to realize that he had not had an agonizing rendezvous with the marble tiling.

It then took him another two seconds to realize that he was having trouble breathing though.

Two seconds later he looked up to see that what had both prevented him smacking headfirst into the floor as well as suddenly restricting any air to reach his lungs.

There standing over him, holding him by the collar of his dress shirt was Evangeline, with an ever-present mischievous expression. "And to think you're calling yourself my disciple, you're tripping over your own two feet, boyu."

Evangeline released her grip on him as he regained his footing. "Thank you, Evangeline-san." He coughed, "That would have been a terrible spill."

"Apparently," She said exasperated looking him over. "You seem overly out of it today, perhaps we need to call it quits for today and let you get some rest."

"Oh, no," Negi said quickly, "I'm fine; I just slipped on something there, that's all." It was quite unusual to see the vampire mage taking such concern for his well being, but even the momentary lapse in her personality was not something that Negi was going to take advantage of. He needed to keep up his routine, no matter what; otherwise he might as well never hope to get any stronger.

"Right," Evangeline said after a moment apparently oblivious to the young boy's thoughts. "Then let's get going." She beckoned, "But you're definitely getting some sleep before we get started tonight, you're no good to me if you can't even stand up to protect yourself."

"All right," Negi conceded, knowing that was the best he could hope for.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Why is Negi-sensei with Evangeline-san?" Miyazaki Nodoka asked surprised as she and Ayase Yui ran into Asuna.

"Apparently Negi's been pulling some extra _training_ with Evangeline after school." Asakura Kazumi replied with a chuckle in her voice.

It was the way that she said "training" that caused Asuna's skin to crawl and Nodoka to flush darkly.

"You know, you can keep your comments to yourself." Asuna hissed back at the class's aspiring journalist.

Kazumi waved at the girl cautiously, "Calm it down, Asuna-chan, I was just making an observation."

"And like I said, you can keep them to yourself." She snapped back, then her eyes narrowed, "And don't call me '-chan'"

"Well, it's kinda cute how you're so protective of ol' Negi."

The expression she gave could have frozen hell itself. "You want to see how _cute _I can be?" She seethed.

"Wow, calm it down, Asuna, I was just messing around."

"Will you guys quit," Yui stated playing mediator, "They're leaving."

Without further beckoning, the group slowly followed. Sure enough, Negi and Evangeline were heading away from the middle school together. It took Asuna a moment to realize that they were heading in the direction of Evangeline's house.

"Negi training with Evangeline," Ku Fei stated in her usual abridged Japanese. "That what he tell me other day."

"Really," Kazumi replied, her expression intrigued and slightly leery. "Either way, we have to find out."

As they journeyed down the stairs away from the middle school campus, they were halted only momentarily as Asuna's name was shouted out across the open court yard.

The girl looked over her shoulder to see Konoka and her ever present self-appointed body guard, and Asuna's sparring partner, Sakurazaki Setsuna racing to meet up with them.

"What are you guys doing?" She asked.

"We're concerned about Negi, isn't that what you guys are doing?" Konoka asked earnestly.

Apart of her wanted to protest, but if anyone had a right to be concerned about Negi it was those two. "Come on," she said waving them as they continued to follow after the young teacher and his demonic mentor.

Asuna had journeyed to Evangeline's log cabin once before, the day after they had gotten back from the Kyoto field trip. It was then that Negi had dropped the bombshell that he had wanted to become Evangeline's disciple.

She knew deep down that somehow that little blonde-headed, sadistic, bloodsucker was behind what was going onto Negi. She just couldn't bring herself to imagine what it could be that she was doing to him that would leave him so drained. He shouldn't be that tired after just a few hours of training.

"You know," Kazumi said, being the ever present voice to her darkest thoughts. "I bet they're doing a little naughty-naughty."

That statement made Asuna stop in her tracks and spin on the fellow redhead. "What did you say, Kazumi." She hissed.

The girl grinned innocently as if she had said the most casual and practical thing in the world. "Well, you said that he and Eva-chan are with each other just a couple of hours a day. Well, the only thing that I can think of that would let someone be _that _tired would be if they're bumping uglies!"

"He's ten damn years old, you pervert!" Asuna snapped angrily, "And this is your last warning, Asakura!"

"You don't think that Negi-sensei would be doing such a thing?" Nodoka stammered, her eyes widened in horror and her expression flushed dark crimson.

Asuna cast a vengeful eye at Kazumi. "See what you've started."

"Hey, I'm just calling it as I see it, that's the mark of a good journalist!" She retorted with a smirk.

"It's the mark of two-bit yellow journalism." Asuna hissed as they ventured deeper into the Mahora Forest.

The distant thunder, soon became a booming cacophony preceded by a torrential downpour. By the time that the entourage of curious students had arrived at Evangeline's house, the quarry had already disappeared into the residence.

"You think that they're training inside because of the rain?" Konoka asked doing her best to feint innocence despite her own perceptive hearing to Kazumi's words.

"See I told you—" was as far as Kazumi got before Asuna smacked her in the back of the head. The girl attempted to glare at Asuna but was stopped by her dark expression.

"I warned you." She stated simply.

Admitting defeat, she held up her hands. "All right, all right, truce." Then she smirked, "We'll just let the evidence do the talking." She admitted as she bolted for the log cabin entrance.

"Damn it, Kazumi!" Asuna snapped racing after her. Before long, the rest of the girls followed suit.

As they reached the log cabin's patio, Kazumi was already looking into the large windows that dominated the front of the house. "Wow," the girl said, looking back to Asuna, "I can't see them in there." She was about to make a comment concerning their disappearance might be because they had gone to somewhere more private, but considering the throbbing pain at the back her head thought better of it.

Inhaling deeply, Asuna readied herself as she opened the front door, entering Evangeline's domicile. She had a momentary lapse of what the little vampire girl might do to them for trespassing, but that thought was easily cast aside, especially in lieu of Negi's staggering condition.

With Asuna leading the way, the rest of the girls entered without a second thought.

They were greeted by eerie silence, most of the lights had been turned out, and the cabin was dark.

After taking their shoes off, they slowly disbanded and began searching the rather extravagant log home. Instinctively, Asuna followed close behind Kazumi who made a bee line for the upstairs, where Asuna knew Evangeline's bedroom was. Despite her best appearances, she couldn't help but feel a small knot beginning to form in her midsection about what they might stumble across.

She was just as grateful that she couldn't hear anything going on as they reached the second floor.

Kazumi and Ku Fei were the first to reach the bedroom, and Asuna was almost certain that she heard the other redhead sigh in defeat.

"Well, doesn't look like they're here." She said.

"No one in bath or toilet either." The Chinese girl replied also with a hint of confusion. "Where they go?"

"That's a good question," Asuna replied, "We saw them come in here, so where could they be?"

"Hey guys!" Nodoka's voice rang down from the stairs. The three girls quickly rushed over, "We found something in the basement!" she stated, her expression clearly surprised.

"This place has a basement!" Asuna remarked incredulously, "What log cabins have basements?"

"Apparently this one," Kazumi countered as they followed after Nodoka.

Sure enough, Evangeline's home did indeed have a basement, and it was packed almost from floor to ceiling with dolls.

_I always thought she was a little kid, but this is a little extreme_. Asuna thought to herself as they journeyed through the narrow walkway between rows and rows of dolls.

In the back of the basement was another doorway. Inside, Konoka and Setsuna were admiring what appeared to be a miniature model built within a bottle.

"We were looking around for Negi and Eva-chan, and Nodoka found this." Konoka explained.

Nodoka approached the miniature, "And I think I saw Negi-sensei in it to." She said.

"What?" Asuna said surprised, "How can that be?"

"Well, I mean Evangeline is a mage, things like this—" that was as far as Setsuna got before she suddenly disappeared.

"Setsuna!" Asuna snapped, then looked around the room to see that everyone else had disappeared as well. "What the hell is going on!" She demanded suddenly concerned.

It was then that she looked down at the miniature and her eyes widened in surprise as she could have sworn that she was seeing her friends racing around the pillar-like structure within it.

In a heartbeat, just as she was about to yell in surprise, she felt a warm sensation wash over her. The world seemed to distort and then there was a moment of perpetual darkness.

When the world snapped back into focus though, she was no longer in Evangeline's basement, but standing on a strange platform looking out upon a tropical ocean.

"What the hell am I!" She found herself yelling to no one in particular.

"I looks to be the miniature that we were staring at." Came Yui's voice.

Instinctively Asuna yelped in surprise then looked over to the shorter girl with long dark hair. "Yui! Don't scare me like that!" She said, then after taking in a few deep breaths began looking around and feeling the intense tropical heat begin to bear down on her.

"Sorry, but come this way." She said as she began walking down the bridge that separated the platform from the tower proper. "This place is quite impressive."

"This place is quite hot!" Asuna replied, opening the collar on her school uniform to help dissipate some of the uncomfortable heat.

"Really, I kind of like this, it's so different from the usual day-to-day experiences that we normally go through." Yui explained.

"Yeah, well I didn't hear you being all excited when you ran into that dragon last week!" Asuna replied tersely.

"Well, that was more of a shock factor than anything, and really it was more of wyvern than a dragon." She shrugged as the bridge ended and they were now standing in magnificent courtyard at the top of the tower.

"Wow, this place is amazing." Asuna gaped as she approached the courtyard.

"Yeah, in the half-hour before you got here the others went ahead and began looking around."

"Half-hour? It was only a minute on the outside that you guys disappeared."

"A minute?" Yui repeated frowning, before she could inquire into that revelation, the sound of soles running across marble echoed towards them.

"We think we found them!" Nodoka yelled, causing both girls to abandon their discussion and race after the girl.

"Where's Negi?" Asuna asked following after the shorthaired girl.

Nodoka led them into the main building at the center of the tower where the others had gathered.

"We heard voices coming from down there." Kazumi said pointing over to a winding staircase cut into the marble.

"Voices," Asuna said, "What are they saying?"

"W-well…um." Konoka stammered as she flushed deeply again.

"Well there's only one way to find out," Kazumi said beginning to descend down the stairs, Asuna stayed half a step behind the journalist.

It was true, as they descended deeper into the tower, the faint sound of voices could be distinctly heard. They were muffled at first, but as they journeyed further in, Asuna was beginning to make out individual voices. Specifically, she heard Negi's his voice husky and fatigued.

Then almost clear as day, she could hear Negi panting, "please Evangeline-san, I'm tired I just need to take a break." He whimpered.

"Don't worry about it, you're young you'll bounce back quick so hurry up." Came a sultry voice that could only be Evangeline.

Their exchange immediately made Asuna stop dead in her tracks, her eyes widened in horror and she felt her cheeks burned as she looked over to Kazumi who also seemed equally amazed by their exchange.

Without warning, she felt someone press against her back, causing Asuna to turn suddenly to see the others piling in right behind them. From their expressions, apparently they had overhead the two as well.

"No, Evangeline-san, we mustn't." Negi protested suddenly.

"What did I tell you about calling me 'master.'" Evangeline purred.

It was too much for Asuna, her hands balling into fists she plowed forward, rage boiling throughout her body. She rounded the corner, her words already announcing her presence. "All right you bloodsucking pedophile! Don't you realize that he's just a child!" She screamed as she entered the room off the staircase, and instantly came to a dead stop at what she saw before her.

There was Negi sitting on the edge of a massive bed, and Evangeline sitting right next to him, with her mouth clamped over his left forearm. She looked at the interloper in surprise, but that did not stop her from continuing what she was doing.

"Evangeline-san, you need to stop you're taking too much." Negi's protests seemed to finally dawn on the other girl and she released the boy from her bite.

"What are you doing here?" Evangeline asked a small trickle of blood escaping her lips and dribbling down her chin. She looked squarely at Asuna quizzically then looked past her to see where the others were standing, "and why are they with you?"

Asuna was speechless, her dreaded thoughts escaping her only to be replaced with the embarrassment that she had let Kazumi convince her that something nefarious was going on. She managed to glance over to the other girl who was looking at her with a mischievous look.

"Well, it's kinda naughty." She chuckled.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Hei drove them to the outskirts of Mahora City watching as the cityscape was soon replaced with small single and two story residential homes, until finally the local forests began to dominate the landscape.

"You remembered to bring the catalyst right?" His master asked him as she brushed a stray lock of blond hair out of her face and behind her ear.

"Yes, I took a piece off the World Tree earlier this afternoon."

"Very good, the sooner we get this done, the better. I have a meeting with the headmaster in a few hours so we've got to hurry."

"Of course, Master." Hei said as the brought the car to a halt two miles beyond the Mahora city limits.

"This'll do." She said as she took her umbrella and extended it to protect her from the rain. The thunderstorm was actually a welcome sight. Its heavy rains would make for terrible visibility and obscure the light created from when they broke the seal. Also, the poor weather conditions would also dissuade anyone from hiking in the forest and possibly uncovering what they were doing.

That would be fortunate, because neither one of them much enjoyed the idea of having to deal with any interlopers.

"All right, let's get this over with." She said as she removed the small bottle and placed it on the muddy earth. She then beckoned to Hei to give her the World Tree fragment so she could begin to seal breaker incantation.

It was a long, complex spell, only reinforcing her assumption that the beings trapped within the bottle were indeed some very high-level demons as well as that the mage that had sealed those demons had been quite a competent spell caster.

Finally though, she snapped her fingers and the World Tree fragment glowed brightly as it darted towards the bottle, slamming into it with enough force that for a moment she thought it had shattered the bottle. Instead though, the fragment merged with the bottle, coiling around it then fusing with it, and with that the cork that sealed the bottle exploded open and a beam of blinding light shot forth.

There was a momentary detonation that kicked up torrents of choking smoke, Hei instinctively covered his face with his sleeve and removed a small dirk from his shoulder holster, ready should anything go wrong.

The rain forced the smoke to settle quickly and his Master's eyes were soon able to make out at least one distinctive figure, tall and robust.

Finally, the smoke disappeared and she could make out the man in detail. He appeared to be an older gentleman, if it weren't for the demonic aura that was emanating from him, she could have sworn that he was a mage just like herself.

"Welcome back to the real world." She said with a slightly smile.

The man's features were weathered, with gray hair that still had some strands that revealed that it had at one time been black. He had a full, well maintained beard and a grandfatherly expression. "Well, I must thank you for breaking that seal my dear." The man's deep tenor voice was genuinely grateful. "Although, considering the level of magic needed to do such a thing, I would imagine that you know who I am?"

"Generalizations, I'm afraid, friend." She responded, "I was given the seal as a part of a mission I need carried out. I don't suppose you would be more than happy to help complete this assignment as compensation for me releasing you."

"The old 'genie in the lamp' routine eh?" He managed with a slight chuckle.

"Something like that." She replied casually. "There are two people in the city to the east of us. One is a young boy named Negi Springfield, he is a junior mage, and the other is a young girl by the name of Kagurazaka Asuna, his _ministra magi_. I would appreciate if you would deal with them."

"Negi Springfield you say?" The man said, his expression suddenly intrigued, "And how old would this young man be?" He inquired.

"He's ten years old." She said simply.

"Ah, six years have passed then."

Both Hei and his Master exchanged looks of bemusement.

"Considering that you have indeed released me and considering who this individual is that you want me to deal with, I will accept your request." He eyed the magical item that had imprisoned him for the last six years. "If you don't mind, my dear. I would appreciate if I could use that."

"But of course," She said handing the bottle over to the demon. "I do appreciate…" Her voice trailed off suddenly as she saw Hei spin on his heel, the dirk in his hand sent flying off in the distance. A moment later, a yelp was heard in the distance.

"We've been detected." Hei hissed about ready to take off after the intruder.

"Please, allow me." The demon said as he held the bottle open and snapped his fingers. Suddenly a sickening dark substance oozed from the bottle and splashed onto the muddy ground. Almost immediately, it took the form of three small girls. "Ameko, Suramui, and Purin." He said as the slime demons looked up to him.

"Here," He commanded tossing the bottle to them, the one in the middle that he identified as Suramui caught to offered item. "Track down the interloper off in the forest and have him sealed away in that artifact."

"Ah, can't we just eat him!" Purin asked with a devilish expression.

The demon smiled casually, "Not yet, just have him sealed in the bottle for now. Consider it keeping him as a snack for later."

The slime demons seemed somewhat disheartened by their orders, but nevertheless took off in the distance.

"Is that wise?" Hei's master asked.

"Oh, they're more than capable." The demon reassured.

"Well, I want my knife back." Hei said, about to take after the slime demons, but he was waved down by his master.

The demon smiled somberly unperturbed by the _minister magi's_ words, "Now how about we spend our time discussing something a bit more productive, like telling me more about this Negi Springfield and Kagurazaka Asuna."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kotaro winced as he tripped over yet another branch as he stumbled through the Mahora Forest towards the Academy grounds, cursing himself with every step that he took.

Everything had been going so well, he had arrived at Tokyo without being spotted, feeling refreshed after his nap the whole way there. He had departed the station, managed to smuggle himself onto a bus that had stopped about ten kilometers short of Mahora City proper, and he had figured he could trek the rest of the way on his own.

The fact that the rest of that journey would be through dense forest didn't bother him any, although the rain shower that had come down on him hadn't helped matters.

Then his luck had to kick in. He thought that beam of light had been innocent enough, and under that pretext he had gone to investigate.

Upon which case he had nearly gotten a knife to his face.

The dirk that had been launched at him had come so close that it had clipped several locks of hair from his head. That was quite impressive considering that the knife thrower had been almost thirty meters away and had lodged the blade deep into the tree that Kotaro had been leaning against.

Another couple of centimeters…he thought mortified.

He harbored little doubt in his mind that these people were associated with the same people who had sent the assassin out to kill him.

He finally broke through the outskirts of the forest and was rewarded by the sights of civilization as his feet suddenly shifted from running on wet earth and grass to pavement.

Kotaro was beginning to believe that perhaps he had given the people he had stumbled on the slip. Unfortunately, that promising thought was cut to a painful end as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

Instinctively, he dove to the ground just as the slicing blow would have connected with his head.

He compressed his body into a roll that brought him back up to his feet but facing where the threat had come from.

There standing three meters away were three figures.

"His reflexes aren't too bad." The one that had swung at him said impressed. They looked to be three girls, but their features were distorted and awkward, as if they were slightly melted.

"Yeah, but he isn't prepared for this." The girl on the right of the first attacker said just as she charged Kotaro.

He was ready for the attack his time. He brought his hands up to block the first blow, but then realized that this attacker was just a diversion. He had enough time to look over his shoulder as he saw the third girl appear behind him and land a devastating blow to the side of his head.

His vision blurred as he tumbled to the asphalt of the street that he was on.

"Well, is he dead?" One of the girls asked.

"Nah, just faking." Another one of them purred as they approached.

Kotaro came back to his feet, but he couldn't pretend he didn't feel the shakiness in his limbs as he stood. That blow had landed harder than he expected and he was slightly off balance now.

"Well, seeing how we can't eat him, we might as well have some fun before we bottle him." the first attacker said with a wide smile.

In a heartbeat they were on top of him, a flurry of blows and kicks landing all around him. He attempted to block most of the terrible onslaught, but three against one was not the best odds.

That became especially evident when he felt something coil around his legs, trapping him in place. He looked down to see that one of the attackers had gone prone and snaked her arms around his legs.

_What are these things!_ He remembered thinking as he felt another punch land to his solar plexus, forcing the air from his lungs out in a giant gush.

Even as his lungs burned for air, and he needed to do something fast.

"Well I guess the fun is over," the leader said, raising a bottle. He knew that whatever they were going to use it for, it wasn't going to be good. Fighting for breath and strength, he lunched forward momentarily shaking the grip on his legs.

With his claws outstretched he swung at the leader's arm, watching miraculously as it dissolved into a puddle from the attack and the bottle came falling to the ground. With his other hand he caught it and attempted to stab it at the girl.

"Sumarui, watch out!" One of the other girls snapped, acting purely on instinct she conjured a magical confusion spell, hoping that when her punch landed it would further disorient the youth.

Her punch landed true, smacking the young boy across the jaw. At that same moment the spell made contact as well, transferring it magical aura into him and causing the boy's eyes to lose focus.

It was immediately afterwards that she realized she might have punched him a little to hard, because not even Purin's grip could keep the boy stabilized as he stumbled away, slammed into the bridge's railing and toppled over into the runoff canal.

All three of the slime sisters rushed to the railing to see the boy, suddenly transforming into a dog—of all things!—and slam into the water.

"Um, was that suppose to happen?" Purin asked looking to the others.

"Well…maybe I hit him a little too hard." Ameko admitted.

"Doesn't matter, he's been dealt with. he'll drown and that will be that."

"Considering the magical confusion spell I landed on him, he probably won't even remember how to swim." Ameko added.

"Let's hope."

"_Are you three done yet!"_ a voice echoed through their minds.

"Oh, Graf Herrmann!" Sumarui said instinctively straightening, "The boy…well we sort of had a mishap."

"_What sort of mishap?_" The demonic count asked.

"Well, in the whole mixup, he sort of fell into a rain runoff canal." She explained, "And um, he sort of took the magical bottle you gave us with him."

Herrmann did not respond immediately, "_Well, we can't very well cry over spilt milk. I have a new mission for you_."

"We're here to obey." She said, glad that he wasn't too angry at them for the unfortunate turn of events.

"_I need you to go to the girls dormitory for the middle school students. There you will need to find anyone who appears to be associated with the one that they call Negi Springfield. Apparently, he has several _pactio_ contracts with his students, they should be easy to track down by their magical auras. I need you to capture them._"

"Negi Springfield…" Sumarui toiled the name over, "Isn't that the brat from—"

"_Yes it is,_" Herrmann interrupted, "_Also watch out, apparently there is a High Daylight Walker present around the campus as well, so keep a low profile._"

"Understood, we'll do." She said as she looked over to her sisters. "Well, time to go hunting!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Night had descended upon Evangeline's resort, still the sheer difference in climate was making it difficult for Asuna to get any sleep. She stretched tiredly from the bed that Evangeline had been kind enough to provide her and the rest of the girls who had stumbled into her resort.

It was still a lot to grasp, that this whole world that they had stumbled into was actually magical pocket dimension that operated on an entirely different scope of reality. The most amazing aspect was that for every day spent in this world, only an hour would pass in the real world.

She really thought it would be perfect for studying with the midterms coming up. Her mind flashed back to that conversation that they had had with Evangeline asking for her permission to use this world. She had been more than willing to allow them to study here, but had also warned them that no matter what the time dilation that might be occurring outside, they would still age while inside the resort.

That revelation had been enough to scare some of the girls, but Asuna thought better of it, what was a few loss days in the real world as long as she was prepared for the midterms.

Stretching, she kicked her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. There was no way she was going to get any sleep at the moment, and she had to use the restroom as well.

She had just left the resting area that had been setup for the seven interlopers, as Evangeline continued to call them, when she heard voices off in the distance, followed by electrical crackling.

Always curious, she walked over to one of the stone pavilions that overlooked the center courtyard, already imaging what was going on.

Sure enough, there he was, the eleven-year-old boy genius working as hard as ever at his training.

"Can't he give it a rest for one day." She said softly to herself.

Her thoughts were suddenly chopped off though as Negi whirled through an attack routine that he was working on. His left arm shot out with an open palm attack that sent a single spark of electricity from it, then he followed through by distancing himself from his imaginary attacker as suddenly he finished his incantation "Axe of lightning!"

In an instant, the entire courtyard was alive as the directed electrical attack landed on his intended target, a pop can that had been placed at the center of the courtyard. It flew into the air, smoldering from the attack until finally it fizzled into a blackened heap nearly twenty meters from where it had rested.

Despite herself, Asuna couldn't help but clap at the sight. In moments like this, she was still amazed by the boy's talents. She still didn't know a whole lot about magic but that spell that Negi had used had been quite impressive.

"Oh, Asuna!" Negi said surprised to have an audience during his training. "I didn't wake you did I?"

"Uh, no," She said casually waving the comment aside. "That was amazing though Negi." She admitted.

"Well, not really." He said softly, "I've been working at this spell for quite some time now, and I still can't get it to strike with enough force."

Asuna looked to where the smoldering soda can rested, "Um, I think its got a little zap to it." She said.

"No," Negi said somewhat defeated, "If that attack had landed like I needed it, it should have disintegrated the can." He then looked around the courtyard, "At the moment, the best I can do is cook it a little, and that's with me drawing on all the magical energy that is here. In the real world, I doubt I could even make a spark happen."

"Oh, quit being too hard on yourself, how long have you been working on this spell?" She asked.

"About three days here." He said.

"_Three days!_" She said incredulously, "What are you expecting, that you would get it perfect in the first day or something!"

"Nee-chan's right!" Chamo suddenly chimed in, "Aniki, it usually takes months for a regular mage to even be able to do what you're doing."

"See, listen to Chamo." Asuna reassured the young boy. "Besides, you need to take a break anyway."

He shook his head, "No I need to keep training," Negi stated defiantly.

"Listen brat," Asuna said scruffing his hair, "Relaxing is also a part of training! Otherwise you'll burn yourself out and then you'll be no good to anyone!"

"But…" He began to protest for a moment then paused, his expression turning thoughtful. "Um, Asuna, would you care if I told you a story."

"A story?" She asked surprised by the sudden change in topic.

"Yes," Negi said somewhat distracted, "Its one that I think you need to hear, after all you are my partner." He paused for a moment, "I-it's the reason I try so hard." He admitted after a moment.

"Well, sure if you want to." Asuna said with a gentle smile, momentarily taken aback by Negi's offer. Until now, there was very little that he had shared about his past with her. They ate, slept and even bathed together; they were as close as siblings, but still much of Negi's past remained clouded in mystery.

Negi slowly walked towards the edge of the courtyard looking out to the full moon off in the distance, he tried to speak a few times, attempting how best to begin, finally he simply smiled and looked to Asuna, "It happened six years ago, I was actually able to meet my father." He said his expression softening at remembering the moment that he had finally met his father.

"Maybe, we should wait, I should probably share this with the others as well…" Negi suddenly stammered, attempting to weasel out of making the commitment.

"Oh no you don't!" Asuna said grabbing a hold of his hair and stopping him instantly. "You're not getting off the hook that easily. You said you wanted to tell me a story, you're going to follow through, right here, right now!" She commanded.

"Well, fine." Negi said with an exasperated sigh. There was something though in his expression that was different, if Asuna could pin it down, she would almost call it pain, but over what exactly.

"I think it would be best if I just show you…it'll be easier." Negi said as he looked around the courtyard, then walked over to the stairs that wrapped around the exterior of the tower. "This'll work." He said as he began summoning a magical array.

The array formed one two of the stairs. "This will let us see eye-to-eye, it makes the synchronization easier." He explained as he beckoned her to kneel at the lower stair.

"Okay, whatever." She said doing as directed.

"Well, this might be a little disorienting at first, but it should go away pretty quickly." Negi said as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"Wait! Negi what are you—" Was all Asuna could say before she was consumed by a brilliant light.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Murakami Natsumi stayed one step behind her roommate Naba Chizuru, just on the very edge of the cover that the umbrella provided from the rain storm that was beating down on them as they crossed one of the runoff canal bridges to get to their dormitory.

"I sure how Negi-sensei will be all right." She said softly to the taller girl.

"Oh I'm sure that he'll be all right." Chizuru said with her usual motherly charm that unnerved the other girl to no end. Chizuru was about to say something more, but her attention was fixated on something. Without warning she suddenly stepped off the walkway into the soaked grass.

"Oh, look at the poor thing!" She suddenly said.

Natsumi was taken back by Chizuru's actions. "Poor thing, what? Where?" She asked peering over Chizuru's shoulder to see what it was she was suddenly kneeling over.

When she stood back up, cradled in her arms was a small dog. "Oh, it looks like he's been hurt. We need to take him back to the dorm."

"Huh!" Natsumi replied surprised, even after living with Chizuru for the last couple of years, her eccentric tendencies still caught her off guard. "What do you mean! He's a stray, we can't take him home!"

"Oh, but he's hurt." Chizuru replied, then looked Natsumi dead in the eye, "_We're taking him home_." She said, her tone never rising but she did that thing with her voice that sent a cold shiver down Natsumi's spine.

"Oh, okay." She conceded unwilling to face the consequences should she continue to protest.

"That's good." She said cheerfully as she walked back under the umbrella and thy made their way back to their dorm room.

Once inside and out of the rain, Natsumi grabbed a towel out of the restroom and placed it on the floor for Chizuru to set to dog down on.

"Okay Natsumi, I want to take a look to see if he's injured, can you clean him up first, please." Chizuru said casting off her soaked school uniform.

"Well, um, sure I guess." Natsumi said, groaning internally as she was dragged into the whole mess as well. _We shouldn't take in strays like this, we have a no pets policy here at the dorms—_ her thoughts were suddenly grounded to a halt as she looked back at where the dog lay, except the dog wasn't there anymore. Instead, it had been replaced with a boy.

A naked boy!

She screamed in surprise.

"Natsumi what's the matter?" Chizuru said sticking her head out of the restroom door.

"U-uh, I just turned away for a moment, and the dog disappeared, and was, well, it's a boy!" She croaked in stunned surprise.

"Oh, my!" Chizuru said in equal, but far more controlled surprise. "You don't think that dog turned into…"

"Come on, Chizu-nee!" Natsumi said flabbergasted, "Don't be silly, but why is there a _naked_ boy in our room!" She screeched.

"Oh, well I guess we'll just have to call the doctor." He said looking at his wet skin, "Natsumi, you should get a towel and dry him off though."

"You want me to do _what!" _She shriekd

"Oh now look who's being silly," Chizuru commented as she picked up the phone, "He's just a little boy, if we leave him like that he'll catch his death from a cold."

"Well…er, I guess your right." She grumbled as she looked at the unconscious boy. _What's with his hair?_ She thought as she could have sworn she saw dog-like ears protruding from his head. _Does he cosplay?_ She wondered.

"Hello, doctor?" Chizuru said into the phone, "We, well, this is—" She stopped suddenly as the receiver suddenly shattered into a dozen plastic shards as an object slammed into with devastating force.

Chizuru's eyes widened as she looked at the broken remnants in her hand then looked over to see Natsumi, her features paled and terrified as a hand gripped her by her shoulder, while a clawed hand was pressed against her throat.

"You're not telling anyone that I'm here." The boy hissed angrily, his eyes narrowed and alert.

"What's going on!" Natsumi cried in horror, "Who are you!"

"Be quiet!" The boy snarled then looked over to Chizuru, "You, I need something to eat, and…" He became awkwardly apparent of his nudeness, "I need something to wear."

"Well, I have a nice dress that would look lively on you," Chizuru said with a kind smile.

"A _dress_!" Both the boy and Natsumi balked in surprise and horror.

"Um, Chizu-nee, this boy is going to kill me and you're making jokes!"

"Well, please tell me what your name is? Where did you come from, maybe we can help you?"

The boy was panting heavily now, his eyes beginning to lose their focus, "My…name," he groaned in pain. "It…doesn't matter, I just have to find him…what's his name." The last he whispered to himself.

"Well maybe we can help you," Chizuru said, now centimeters from the boy's face. "Please, let us help."

The boy was startled by her sudden presence, "Stay back!" He snapped as his hand flew, he felt the claw dig into the girl's shoulder.

"Chizu-nee!" Natsumi screamed, but Chizuru merely flinched as the claws dug into his skin, but otherwise was unperturbed.

Unfazed, she grabbed the boy and held him close in an embrace, "Dear, dear, you keep moving around like that and you're going to faint again." She felt his forehead against her collar bone, "My my, you've got a temperature of forty degrees, you need to rest."

"Rest, yeah…that sounds good." The boy whimpered as he suddenly lost consciousness again.

"There there." She said as she guided the unconscious youth over to the couch.

"Chizu-ne! You're _amazing!_ You know that!" Natsumi yelled relieved to be free of the boy's grip.

"Well, I do deal with the troubled children at the preschool during my volunteering." She said casually as she tucked a blanket over his body. "He should be all right, he just needs to sleep a little."

"Um, Chizuru!" Natsumi said, her face draining of all complexion for the third time in the last five minutes.

"Huh?" Chizuru asked looking over at her roommate who was pointing at her shoulder.

"You're…uh, _bleeding!" _She gaped.

"Oh, this?" She looked down at the gash then smiled serenely. "It's nothing."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Asuna was bathed in fire.

Everywhere she looked a towering inferno seemed to engulf the village that was Negi's childhood home. She was busy trying to look after the rambunctious four-year-old version of the child teacher, and feeling her hands clench into white-knuckled fists as the terrified boy ran headfirst into the firestorm.

All around her, the village's magi protectors were nothing more than petrified stone statues.

_This is just like the school trip_, she thought as a chill ran down her spine as she remembered all the people at the Kansai Association being turned to stone.

"Well what do we have here?" A rumbling voice bellowed, forcing Asuna to spin, what she came face-to-face with set her teeth on edge.

There standing fifty meters away were a horde of demons varying in sizes some smaller than the four-year-old boy that they had just spotted, to three stories tall. Worse yet, was that one of the larger ones was shifting his attention to Negi.

_Just like the school trip!_ She thought angrily, as she went to grab for her _pactio _card, only to realize that once again what she was witnessing was Negi's past. There was nothing she could do here.

"This is all my fault," The young Negi whimpered, "If I weren't always trying to get into trouble to have father rescue me, then none of this would be happening."

"What!" Asuna snapped looking at the cowering little boy whose hands were attempting vainly to wipe away the tears that were streaming down his cheeks. "Don't be stupid!" She snapped, knowing that he couldn't hear her.

"I deserve this," The child finally admitted.

It almost made Asuna's heart break in that moment, _How can he _say_ that!_ she thought horrified. "Get up and fight damn it!" She snarled.

She couldn't do anything, she was just witnessing the past, but still she felt the compulsion to put herself between the crying boy and the towering monster that was approaching him.

The demon paid no heed to her actions, merely cocked his fist back to deliver a crushing blow that would kill the crying child.

Asuna closed her eyes and waited for the blow to land.

It never came, instead a snarling crackle nearly deafened her as she opened her eyes to see another person placing himself between the monster and Negi.

"That…can't be!" Asuna said gratitude flowing into her expression.

The man, draped in a cloak that hid most of his physique had halted the demon's crushing blow with his bare hand, energy crackled from the magical barrier that aided in stopping the monster's progress. Much of the residual energy snarled around the street, gouging and tearing into the cobblestone works and forcing shrubbery to become uprooted and collapse.

Negi too seemed to have stopped his crying and was looking up to see who the newcomer was.

The man quickly recited an incantation that Asuna couldn't require hear, suddenly the demon bellowed in agony as an electrical attack exploded from the monster's fist, working its way all the way up his arm until it seemed to devour him. In an instant, the demon's head snapped back as light poured from every orifice and he suddenly exploded with an electrical crackle.

The demon's associates momentarily stopped as they witness the attack unfold. They were just as stunned as Asuna and the now sobering Negi.

Then they moved once again, cramming through the streets, wave after wave after the newcomer who had saved the child.

The man, whose profile Asuna could vaguely make out, had a handsome face with a tussle of crimson hair peeking from behind his hood.

As the first demon came within striking distance, the savior landed a devastating blow that sent the demon flying backwards, that was followed by the next unfortunate attacker as the man drove a kick deep into the monster's torso. The creature _ooffed _painfully as the air was driven from its lungs and it too was sent reeling backwards.

The simple attack performed by the hood man seemed to make the demons take pause.

"_Veniant spiritus aeriales_ _fulgurientes cum fulguration glet tempestas austrina_," The man recited quietly then thrust his fist forward into the looming mass of demons, "_Jovis Tempestas Fulguriens!"_ he shouted as he finished the spell that hurled a blinding flash of electrical energy condensed and amplified within a tornado of pummeling wind.

It swallowed the congested demons and tore them apart, screams of surprise turned to terror and finally finished in agony as the monsters were either vaporized of torn limb from limb. It was a sickening sound to Asuna, who could only imagine what sort of effect it was having on the young Negi.

She looked back at the small child who now stared with wide eyes, both in amazement as well as fear.

When Asuna turned back to see whom the cloaked protector was, she could now see that he clutched one of the human-sized demons in his grasp.

The demon, whose body was blackened and beaten from the previous attack looked down at the mage with an amazed expression. "Pretty amazing…" He rasped as a dark ichor escaped his lips. "Really begs the question as to who the real monster is here…"

His words were cut off by the sickening crack as vertebrae suddenly snapped out of alignment from the sudden pressure that the mage exerted on his throat.

Asuna watched mortified as the man so casually broke the demon's neck.

Negi too was shocked and sickened by the sight.

As the mage turned to face the boy, all he could do was turn away frightened and begin running back into the village.

"Stupid Negi!" She screamed after him, "Don't run off there could be more demons!" She shouted as she followed after him, still too aware that there was nothing that she could do here.

As if her words were to come true, there standing on the edge of the rubble from a collapsed building, in fact stood a demon. Much like his compatriot that the mage had just killed, he too was broken and bleeding. The same dark ichor pulsed from numerous wounds along his body, and his left horn was chipped. The expression on his face was less than pleased about what just happened.

The demon glared at the boy, his mouth opened and a brilliant light began to emerge.

"Negi get out of here!" Asuna snapped as the boy stopped frozen in terror.

As the attack exploded from the demon, Asuna watched as Nekane, Negi's cousin and the old man that Negi had identified as Stan rushed to interpose themselves between the demon and the boy. For a moment, Asuna thought that they would be able to put forth a barrier much like the other mage had done, but that didn't appear to be the case.

The blast was deflected away from Negi, but it appeared that what barrier spells that the old man and Negi's cousin put up were not nearly powerful enough to diffuse the brunt of it splashing over them.

The blond-haired Nekane winced in pain as her legs were bathed in the petrification curse turning them to stone.

Old Man Stan though fared even worth as much of his lower body was splashed with the curse instantly turning it to stone. He winced physically as his removed a small bottle from his cloak and began reciting another incantation.

The demon, taken back by the sudden intrusion knew that he had to finish these interlopers off quickly, he charged at the old man, as did a slime-like demon that appeared out of the ground.

"_Lagena signatoria!_" He managed to shout as the demon landed its first blow, digging in deeply into the man's petrified side. The bottle that Stan had thrown out suddenly glowed brightly as a magical array formed around it.

The demon snarled in outrage as a violent current snatched him, drawing him into the bottle. He snarled and screeched attempting to fight the magical force that was pulling at him, but he was unsuccessful as he sucked into the bottle along with the slime demon.

Stan slumped as far back as the petrified body would allow him, his breathing was heavy and his brow was slick with sweat from the exertion. He looked over to the terrified child, "Listen to me squirt," He heaved, "you need to run, whoever sent such powerful demons, and so many of them…" He couched painfully, "You've got to run, do you understand me."

"But Stan!" Negi cried in horror, fresh tears beginning to streak down his cheeks.

"No buts," He snapped, "You need to get out of here, just run and don't look back." He looked over his own body, "That last demon was amazingly powerful, a high-class one if I've ever seen. The petrification spell he used…I'm too far gone, just leave me and run."

"I…can't."

"Listen to me boy!" Stan snapped, pointing over to where Nekane lay, her legs continuing to petrify. "You need to find a healer, someone who can save her, otherwise she might die. Please Negi, you have to do that."

the man groaned slowly as finally the petrification process finally took hold and he finally turned completely to stone.

"Stan! Stan!" The boy wailed as he tugged at the stone cloak. "Don't leave me!"

Asuna watched it all happened in silent horror. Her thoughts tumbling through her head at what this boy must be experiencing. Negi turned from the old man, back to his cousin.

"Don't worry Nekane, I'll get a healer. I promise!" He said to her unconscious form.

Negi turned to run off, but suddenly coming face to face with the mage who had saved him before.

His cloak was battered and smudged with soot and stains from which Asuna thought it better not to know. He looked down at the young Negi, and took a step forward.

Negi instinctively stood up, raising his small training wand defiantly. He stood his ground, willing to ward off anyone who would attempt to harm his cousin. Yet even in all his valiant pose, all it took was one look into the child's eyes to see that he was absolutely mortified.

The man, his hood drawn back far enough that Asuna could see blood trailing down the side of his face, looked at the child in awe. "You're…" He paused almost in disbelief, "You're Negi, aren't you?" The man asked as he approached the child.

Negi held up the wand, his eyes closed shut as he expected an attack that he could not defend against to land.

Instead, the man outstretched his hand and ruffled through the child's hair, a caring laugh escaping his lips. "You're attempting to protect your cousin, that's very brave of you." He said solemnly.

"You've gotten big." Negi opened his eyes and stared at the man before him amazed.

Realization seemed to dawn on the mage, as if there were something important he had to say, or do. He appeared to settle on the latter. "Here," He said as he held out the large staff that he clutched in his free hand, "This is for you, Negi." He seemed pleased to say the boy's name. "Consider it…well something of a legacy, if you will."

Negi took the staff, feeling it weigh him down, but the look on his face could only be awe, then he looked back at the mage. "F…Father?"

The mage nodded somberly then look as the boy was still bogged down by the staff, "Well, I guess it is a bit heavy, but you'll grow into it." He said with a chuckle.

Nagi Springfield, the Thousand Master, suddenly looked away from his son, as if he were conversing with someone who wasn't present. When he looked back at his son, his expression was remorseful. "I'm sorry, Negi, but it looks like I have to go now." He then looked to Nekane, "I wish there were more that I could do. The petrification spell has been stopped and a healer will be on their way shortly." He sighed, "Please, if there is anything you could possibly do, grow strong and happy." With that he cast a levitation spell and suddenly took air.

Negi was in tears, his realization that his father had indeed come to save him in his time of need was not fleeting as he realized that his father was abandoning him once again. He dropped the staff and raced after Nagi even as the Thousand Master continued to gain altitude.

"Father!" He cried, "Please, don't go!" He ran until he tripped over his feet and plummeted to the earth, his head came up instantly oblivious to the pain to his face. "Please, father!" He screamed now into empty air.

Before Asuna realized it, she felt warm tears trickling down her cheeks as she watched the scene play out before her. She could never have imagined this sort of event occurring in Negi's childhood. He had just been an innocent four-year-old boy longing for his father, and to have this sort of tragedy unfold before his very eyes…how the kid managed to live beyond this moment without being seriously screwed up was surprising.

"_I guess it's a little hard to watch, I'm sorry for that Asuna._" Negi, the real Negi whose memory Asuna had witnessed, spoke.

She wiped the tears away from her eyes, as the memory seemed to dissolve and she was back at Evangeline's resort, staring into the ten-year-old aspiring _Magister Magi's _brown eyes. She felt a wave of disorientation and fatigue suddenly wash over her, still that didn't prevent her from pressing the questions that were on the tip of her tongue.

"What happened after your father left?"

Negi expression turned thoughtful, as he looked out into the ocean, "Nekane and I were found about three days later. As my father had said, the petrification spell had indeed stopped, and they healers were able to fix her legs."

"And your village?" Asuna inquired as she leaned back on the steps, seemingly sapped of energy.

"No one would tell me." Negi shrugged, "I was four-years-old, to the regular adults, it was nothing that a kid like me should be concerned about." He shook his head, his expression somber and quiet. "That was my darkest secret, Asuna. I still have nightmares about that day. About the fact that I couldn't do anything but get people I cared about hurt.

"It's also the reason I push myself so much, if I grow stronger, become the most powerful mage that I know how to be, then I won't need others to put their lives at risk for me." He shrugged, unsure exactly how to word the next phrase, "And perhaps, it'll allow me to be forgiven for bringing all that upon my village."

Asuna looked at him shocked, "Negi, that wasn't your fault!" She snapped.

Negi just shook his head, "I wish I could believe that, but the truth of the matter is that I was doing everything within my power to put myself at such a risk that my father would appear. When those demons attacked, he appeared."

"That sort of twisted logic is absolutely terrible!" Asuna snapped looking at the young boy, seeing all the dread and misery that seemed to wash over him. What's worse was that Negi truly did believe that he was responsible for that entire calamity.

Without thinking she grabbed his hand and brought him closer to her as she wrapped him around in a gentle embrace. "Negi, everything I saw, everything that you let me see, how could any of it ever be your fault?" She spoke softly to him and before she realized it she felt warm tears staining her uniform blouse as the boy sobbed.

"But it is my fault…" He whimpered sadly.

Off in the distance, the other girls watched the exchange unfold, tears also in their eyes as they too had witnessed Negi's tragedy unfold thanks to Nodoka's _Diarium Ejus_ _pactio _artifiact.

"I had no idea," Nodoka whispered as she instinctively took a step forward, only to find a firm grip clamped around her wrist, when she looked over to see who had stopped her she came eye-to-eye with Evangeline. The dark mage had convinced Nodoka to eavesdrop on the two's conversation, but eavesdropping seemed to be the limit of involvement she was going to allow.

"Boyu needs this time alone." She said flatly then looked to the other girls who, one by one, had awoken and seemed drawn to the event that unfolded.

"But…" Konoka said, her every instinct to rush over to Negi and attempt to comfort him, to tell him that what had happened couldn't possibly have ever been his fault.

"No buts." Evangeline hissed, then looked back at Negi and Asuna, her expression softening just a bit, "The boy wanted Asuna to hear about his tragedy first, so I'm going to respect that and let those two work things out. If Kagurazaka can't handle that, then she had no right to be his _ministra magi_."

"But we've also got contracts with Negi-sensei!" Nodoka attempted to protest, her instincts at protecting Negi bringing her into direct confrontation with the dark mage.

"And yet he didn't ask you?" Evangeline said coldly then shook her head, "You can either listen to me, or I can just encase you in an iceblock for the next few years, it's your call."

Nodoka's features drained in an instant as she digested the words, but she still held her ground. "W-we care about Negi too." She whispered defiantly, "We should be able to help him too."

"And that's all well and good," Evangeline explained exasperated, then pointed a finger over to where Negi was crying into Asuna's shirt, "But ask yourself this, is this what Negi needs? To have all of you simply meander over there and smother him, telling him how sorry you are for him and how it's not his fault? If you care so deeply about the brat, take his needs into consideration and think about what it is that he really needs at the moment." She finished with a hiss, then waved the issue aside, "Do whatever you want, but I'm going back to bed." And with that she walked away back towards the inner sanctum of the tower, leaving all of the girls to contemplate her words.

Even as she walked back though, Chachazero couldn't help but look up at her master, "You know, that was a great story! I really enjoyed the part where the demon's neck broke!" Evangeline ignored the little magical doll in all her drivel and continued to back bed.

It was a difficult decision for each of them, but one by one, without a word uttered between any of them, they slowly made their way back to their sleeping area, their hearts sunken by the revelation that at that moment Negi had indeed shared something deeply personal with Asuna, and Asuna alone.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Thirteen

It was still a daunting realization that while an entire day had passed inside Evangeline's resort, only a single hour had transpired in the real world. As such, when the girls and Negi reached the main floor of the log cabin, the rain was still beating down relentlessly.

"We only brought one umbrella." Asakura remarked as she looked out into the rainstorm.

"Well a little running through the rain is good for the soul." Remarked Konoka.

"Konoka-oujosama!" Setsuna protested, "You could catch a cold!"

"Oh, calm down Set-chan, it's the middle May, it's not that cold outside!" She said in her usual carefree tone as she made her way to the front door. "Thanks for having us over, Eva-chan!" Konoka said before bolting out into the rain. Setsuna offered her thanks as well before following after the other girl.

One by one, the rest of the girls departed braving the storm, with Asuna and Negi being the last ones to leave.

"Thank God!" Evangeline finally muttered as they left.

Chachamaru, ever vigilant looked over to her master.

The shorter girl looked up at the android. "What?" She remarked.

"Nothing master," Chachamarus said quickly, "It's just that you seemed to have enjoyed them being around, that's all."

"Rubbish." She said as she turned on her heel and proceed upstairs to her bedroom, "What would ever give you _that_ impression." She said out loud then paused, her brow furrowed.

"Master?"

"Its nothing," She said after a moment, she could have sworn she had just felt a shift in the magical barrier around Mahora. _Well, Takamichi said that Mathias would be arriving here sometime, it's probably just that fool. _With that, she continued on her way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Takamichi waited patiently at the entrance to the middle school girl's dormitory for Negi to show up. As Asuna had told him earlier that morning, the boy certainly made quite the beeline for Evangeline's home right after the school day was over. He had hoped to corner the boy in the hallways and discuss with him the virtues of properly pacing one's training, but he had been delayed due to a last minute counseling session that he needed to take with a boy from over at the high school.

He instinctively checked his watch, frowning. Magnus had called him about nine hours ago. Depending on just what sort of errands he had to run, he ought to be arriving at Mahora shortly.

Suddenly, the automatic doors parted to admit a group of students from Negi's class. He smiled and waved kindly, exchanging a few words with the handful of students who stopped and said hello.

"Are you here to see Negi-kun?" Konoka asked looking over her shoulder, "He should be on his way here shortly."

"Konoka-oujosama, you really should go and get changed, we can't have you catching a cold."

"Oh, it's not that bad, Set-chan." Konoka brushed the request off with a wave of her hand an unconcerned smile.

No sooner had their exchange ended, did Negi and Asuna arrive.

"Oh, Takamichi-kun!" Negi said, far more energized than he had been earlier in the morning. "What are you doing here?"

"Actually, I came to speak with you, do you have a moment, Negi-kun?" He asked.

"Um, sure." Negi said looking over to Konoka, Setsuna and Asuna, the last of whom was suddenly flushing deeply.

"Great," He then looked over to the others, "If you girls will excuse us."

"Um, sure thing, Takahata-sensei." Asuna said as she quickly pushed the others towards the stairs to give the two some privacy.

Once they were out of earshot, Takamichi looked over to Negi. "Are you feeling all right, Negi?" He asked sincerely.

"Who me?" He asked surprised.

"This morning you seemed pretty out of it," He stated.

"Yeah, well I guess I pushed myself a little too hard yesterday." He admitted.

"You know you need to pace yourself properly." Takamichi said.

"Well, I know, but there's just so much that I need to do."

"And resting is one of those things, Negi." He countered, "Look, resting is just as important as training. You continue to press yourself too hard, and what will happen is you'll end up overexerting yourself and hurting yourself in such a way that it'll take weeks to recover, even with magic."

Negi chuckled, "Yeah, that's pretty much what Asuna was telling me." He sighed then looked at Takamichi, "Don't worry, Takamichi-kun, I'll try and make enough time for me to sleep, I promise."

Takamichi looked the boy over for a moment, then nodded his approval, "I'll hold you to it."

"Of course, not a problem." Negi replied, "Was there anything else?"

"Well," Takamichi said with a slight smile, "There is someone who should be arriving here at Mahora sometime either tonight or tomorrow, I think you should meet him."

"Is he a friend of yours?" Negi asked.

"Yes, I think there's a lot you two could talk about." He said before shaking his head, "Well, I better let you go so you can get out of those wet clothes, last thing we need is for you to be bedridden with a cold."

Negi seemed for the first time to realize that his clothes were indeed drenched. "Oh, okay, thanks Takamichi, you have a good night."

"Same to you Negi." Takamichi said as he turned and left the dormitory.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Konoka had gone ahead with Setsuna towards the public bathhouse, while Asuna had waved them a good bye and made her way to her room. She was absolutely soaked and still somewhat flustered from the whole experience of dealing with Negi's past.

It explained why he cried in his sleep now, though. She realized as she reached into her pocket to remove her dorm key.

Just as she was about to place the key in the lock, she heard a rattle above her.

She just had enough time to look up before a flood of dark liquid engulfed her and then all she could see was darkness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Wow, he really bounced back!" Natsumi remarked as she managed to pull the thermometer from Kotaro, as the boy said his name was once he regained consciousness, as he began to scarf down more food that Chizuru was continuing to prepare for the starving youth. "He doesn't even have a fever any more."

"See, that's what good old home remedies can do for you."

Natsumi tried not to blanch as she recalled her attempt to stop the boy from being subjected to Chizuru's "home remedies," as she so harmlessly called them. Mentally she thought that the very notion of green onion suppositories should be outlawed.

Thankfully, the boy had regained consciousness before Chizuru could go to work on him. He had only mentioned that he was famished and that seemed to automatically switch gears in the older girl's mind and she immediately began preparing loads of food for the boy.

"You really have no idea just how lucky you were there, kid." Natsumi said under her breath.

"How's that?" The boy asked as he looked at her innocently, those dog-like ears twitching.

_Crap! He heard me!_ She said as she looked at him in disbelief. "Well, um," She slowly approached Kotaro so that only he could hear her.

"Trust me, if you hadn't woken up, Chizu-nee would have done some _scary _things to you."

The boy looked from Natsumi to Chizuru, then back at her, "What do you mean by 'scary' things?"

"Think suppositories."

The boy's eyes widened and he gulped loudly as he looked at the carefree expression on Chizuru's face. "She wouldn't have…"

"Oh yes she would have."

"You're right, that's _scary_." He admitted with a visible shiver.

"I'm home!" A new voice caroled from the entryway to their dorm room. "Chizuru, what are you cooking up, it smells positively delicious—" Yukihiro Ayaka stopped dead in her tracks as she entered the main living area to see the boy sitting at their table. "Um, who is this?" 3-A's class president asked as she cocked her head to the side.

"Oh," Chizuru said looking up from the small kitchenette, "This is Murakami Kotaro, Natsumi's little brother!"

"_My what!_" Natsumi snapped in unmitigated horror.

"Oh, I didn't know you had a brother, Natsumi-chan?" Ayaka said as she approached the small boy.

"Um, Natsumi-chan, who is this old lady?" Kotaro asked innocently.

"_Old Lady!"_ Ayaka snapped, her palms slamming onto the dining table, with wisps of long blonde hair swirling around her face as she glared at the young boy, "I'll have you know I'm fourteen-years-old!" She snapped angrily.

"Fourteen-really? No way, you look much older than—" He was suddenly muffled as Natsumi clamped a hand over Kotaro's mouth.

"Oh, the poor dear." Chizuru said as she came around from the kitchenette. "He's had such a hard life. He wasn't taught proper manners you see, Ayaka-chan. Family life for him was so terrible, he's got no place to go."

"_Huh, what…_Chizuru, my family isn't that bad!" She screeched.

Chizuru continued, oblivious to Natsumi's protests. "The poor dear ran away to be with his big sister. Natsumi-chan is the only family who accepts him."

"I…er…what!" Natsumi babbled incoherently.

Ayaka seemed somewhat taken aback, looking from Chizuru, to Kotaro to finally Natsumi, "Is that true Natsumi-chan?" She asked her voice quivering as the implication of Chizuru's words settled in.

"What…no…of course its not! My family is not that bad!" She attempted to defend.

"Either way, I think that for the time being, Kotaro-kun needs to stay with us." Chizuru stated, seemingly making the point moot. "Now, Ayaka-chan, I've got more food on the way, please clean up and it should be ready by the time you're done."

"Well, okay." The class representative said casually, knowing full well how much Chizuru doted on Natsumi and her. She knew it was better not to cross the woman, at least not in their dorm room and certainly not before dinner.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Well will you look at that," Purin said amazed, "He survived!"

Ameko looked down the small pinprick of a hole in the ceiling over the dorm room that Kotaro was in and looked back at her sister impressed. "Wow, he's resilient." She commented.

"But it looks like that spell you cast on him must have worked," Sumarui stated, "Otherwise, he wouldn't just be sitting down having a good time chatting it up with the ladies now would he?"

"Most certainly not." Purin admitted then looked at her siblings, "Should we finish him off then?" She asked as she saw the other occupants in the room, "Then we could eat the others," She inhaled deeply, "Wow that food smells good."

"_You will leave the boy to me,"_ a new voice suddenly echoed through their heads. Immediately, the slime sisters cringed. _"How has the capture of Negi Springfield's partners going?"_

"We've managed to capture the one known as Kaguarazaka Asuna." Sumarui admitted, "The rest are on their way to the bathhouse. We hope to have them captured within the next couple of minutes."

"_Very well, make sure that you do. I'll deal with the dog-boy_." Graf Herrmann stated then fell silent.

"Well, looks like we have to go back to work." Sumarui said with a sigh, that food did indeed smell delicious, and after being sealed in a small bottle for the last six years, they were quite famished. Unfortunately, no matter how hungry they might be, it would be no comparison to the wrath that would face them should they disobey the count.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Magnus sighed as he drew the cloak's hood further over his head as the rain continued to pelt him as he crossed one of the runoff canal bridges and was beginning to enter Mahora Academy. The twilight of dusk mixed with the heavy rains made navigating much of the city nearly impossible, and he was simply guiding himself by the merely his own instincts and the Fenrir's own sense of guidance.

His luck had come up short in the rest of his side trips as all of the locations that Nagi and he had hidden the artifactss had either been destroyed, missing or useless. It had been a frustrating day and one from which he wished he could simply forget.

Then the rain had hit, and it had turned Magnus's horrible day into a simple dreadful one.

But it all seemed to be coming to a close as he came to the realization that he was now finally arriving at Mahora City, where he could finally attempt to figure out what Secundium—er, Fate Averruncus, or his lackeys were attempting to achieve here at Mahora.

To be honest, at the moment he would simply prefer to get out of the rain, dry off and pass out on a nice comfortable bed and sleep this whole miserable day away.

He was maneuvering deeper into the city when he suddenly brought the bike to a halt, his brow furrowed. He could sense something here…

It was a sensation that he hadn't felt in a log time, familiar yet distant at the same time.

It was then that he realized what it was and quickly turned the motorcycle around and took off in the direction of the sensation. His thoughts suddenly racing, wondering if perhaps he had actually arrived at Mahora too late.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Now this is what I'm talking about!" Kazumi said with a relaxing sigh as she leaned deeper into the heated pool's water. "Not a bad way to spend an afternoon." She admitted.

"Yeah, but my internal clock is all screwed up now," Yui admitted, "We spent an entire day at Evangeline's resort and only an hour has passed here, I don't think that I'm going to even be able to sleep tonight."

"Yeah, but it was amazing wasn't it Yui?" Nodoka asked.

"Well, yes, it certainly was but still." The other girl sighed as she leaned into the water.

"No complaining." Konoka remarked, "We came here to clean up and relax, that's what we're going to do, no muttering about what we're going to do later okay!"

The other girls seemed to accept that stipulation and reserved themselves to merely enjoying the bathwater. After running through the less-than-warm rain shower, the soothing water was a nice reprieve.

"By the way," Nodoka asked looking over to Konoka, "Where is Setsuna-san anyway?"

"Oh, she had to go back to her room and drop something off." She said. "She should be here shortly.

It was then that all the girls looked at one another as they felt the water suddenly become cold.

"Did the heater fail?" Yui asked.

"I not think so." Ku Fei said as she felt the frigid sensation wash over her.

Then suddenly the girls all yelped in surprise as they were suddenly dragged under the water's surface and disappeared the rest of the bath's patrons completely oblivious of their disappearance.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Setsuna sighed as she made her way through the dormitory hallways, carrying her towel and special shampoo that she used for her hair. While they were at Evangeline's resort she had begun to notice slight tinges of gray hair beginning to appear amongst her raven black follicles. It must have been the salt air that had affected it, she had thought and made the mental note to recover the shampoo for when she would bathe next.

"Setchan!" A voice called from down the hallway.

Setsuna looked over to see Konoka approaching her. Immediately, her face heated as she stared as Konoka came running after her.

"Konoka-oujosama!" She snapped, "What are you doing running around the hallways naked!" She said as she took the towel to cover the girl.

As she approached, Setsuna had a momentary sense that something was amiss. She reached for her pactio card, but was too slow as tendrils suddenly exploded from the Konoka imposter and enveloped her. She managed a muffled scream before the darkness consumed her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A knock at the door seemed to settle the commotion that had broken out between Kotaro and Ayaka over dinner.

Natsumi sighed as she prepared to get up only to have Ayaka wave her back to her seat. "Don't worry, Natsumi-chan, I'll get it." She said as she glared at Natsumi's troublemaker of a brother. The boy appeared to be Negi-sensei's age, but he was night and day by comparison to the well behaved and mature young teacher.

She shrugged off the thought as she opened the door slightly to see a tall man standing before their doorway.

He was tall, wearing a long, clad leather trench coat and a large hat that covered much of his salt-and-pepper hair. His expression was gentle and comforting. "Excuse me miss," He said in accented Japanese. "But may I have a word with that young man in your home?"

Ayaka felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, "What exactly would you have to say with him?" She asked.

"Oh, nothing much," the man said unconcerned, "But rather, would you be interested in a gift for such a beautiful woman such as yourself." He said extending a beautiful gold rose from his pocket.

"Oh my!" Ayaka said disarmed by the appearance of the elegant gift. "For me? I don't…" Suddenly she felt light headed.

Before anyone could realize what had happened, the man stepped over Ayaka's unconscious form and entered into the living area.

"What!" Kotaro snapped momentarily alarmed, realizing that something was instantly wrong. "Who are you, and what did you do with Blondie!" Kotaro snapped.

"Oh," the man said dismissively, "She's just resting, now you and I have some unsettled business my friend."

Before Kotaro could even speak, a teeth-rattling punch connected with his jaw, throwing him backwards into the far wall.

"Now, I need you to behave yourself and simply do as you're told like a good boy." The tall man's said in a gravelly voice. "That vessel you took off my associates, I need to have that back before I can pursue my true objective." He took a step towards the disoriented boy. "Well, how about it?" He demanded.

The man paused in his place as Chizuru stepped in front of him. "I don't know who you are," She said in a stern voice, "But at the very least you could do is introduce yourself, as well as take your shoes off before entering someone's home, is this how a proper gentleman behaves?"

"Oh my, please forgive my manners, I forgot about that custom here in Japan." The man said genuinely apologetic as he removed his hat and bowed deeply. "My name is Graf Wilhelm Josef Von Herrmann, and I do apologize for the mess," he looked over at the dining room table, "as well as disrupting your meal, but unfortunately this boy and I have some unsettled business to deal with."

"You can go to hell!" Kotaro snarled as he leapt at Herrmann.

The count had been prepared for the attack, he merely brought his left forearm up to block the boy's attack while he slammed Kotaro with another daunting right hook that sent the boy tumbling backwards.

He rebounded off the floor, using his momentum to guide him as he contorted his body so that his feet landed squarely on the wall which he used to push off for another attack.

"Impressive," Herrmann noted as he once again blocked the boy's attack and this time threw a knee into Kotaro's gut.

The air whooshed out of him from the blow and Herrmann followed with two left jabs before another right hook sent Kotaro to the ground.

"Now, you have some potential there, young man, but you and I are in entirely different leagues. Now won't you please hand over that vessel before I am forced to get serious with you."

Kotaro's expression seemed to change, as if the fog that had been draped over him had finally lifted and he realized where he was and who he was fighting. "You're not too shabby yourself old man. Got a pretty good right too." He said as he massaged his cheek.

He stood and glared at the man defiantly, "But what makes you think that if I even had this 'vessel' I would hand it over to you?"

Herrmann sighed heavily, "Well, if that's your choice, I'm just going to have to beat the information out of you." He said as he approached Kotaro.

"Go right ahead!" The boy snarled as he lunged at the man. Summoning what chi he could to create shadow copies of himself to attack at the man from every different angle.

Herrmann momentarily lost track of the boy, fixing his gaze on where he thought the boy was most likely to attack and he struck, only to see his hand pass through the shadow copy as Kotaro landed his own painful knee to the count's gut.

"Payback's a bitch." He snarled, "That's your problem old man, you're a little too sure of yourself."

"And you talk too much," Herrmann protested as he slammed Kotaro across the head with a deafeningly powerful left punch.

The boy sailed across the room until he made contact with the floor and lay there in a disheveled mess. He attempted to right himself only to find a heavy boot slam into his jaw and force him back to the ground.

"Kotaro-kun!" Natsumi screamed in fear for the young boy.

"Well, lad, it looks like we're going to have to draw this fight to a close. I would have much rather have avoided this, but with youth obliviously comes your irrational stubbornness. Please don't think ill of me for this." He said as he opened his mouth as it began to glow.

Yet before the attack ever came to fruition, Herrmann's head shot back as a well placed, and quite auditable slap made contact with his right cheek.

He looked over in surprise to see the tall girl with chestnut hair glaring at him. "I'm not sure what's going on," She scolded, "But I will not let you treat a child like that here in my home!"

"Well, well, well." Herrmann said impressed, "It is not often that one runs across someone with such fine moral convictions." He massaged his cheek tenderly. "Perhaps you will work as one of my hostages as well."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

All around the dormitory complex, girls were standing outside their doorways looking down the hallway towards where the commotion was coming from. Negi rushed through the crowd, forcing them to part as he ran past.

"_I think it came from the class prez's room!" _Chamo communicated mentally.

"Yeah, I'm working on it," Negi replied as he rounded the corner and came across the open door, Ayaka laying unconscious at the doorstep.

"Ayaka-san!" Negi yelled as he knelt before the girl. He sighed in relief as he realized that she was alive and just unconscious.

Then he heard the commotion coming from inside the room, he rushed in without thinking and came face to face with a tall man, holding in his arms and unconscious Chizuru. "Naba-san!" He yelled.

"Ah," The man said turning to face Negi, "Young Negi Springfield, it's been a while. You've grown quite a bit since the last time I saw you." He said with a chuckle.

"Who are you!" Negi commanded, "I demand that you put Naba-san down right now!" He gripped his wand tightly; his heart sinking as the man merely chuckled at his tone.

"Along with this lovely young lady, I have captured seven of your companions. If you want them back safely, you will have to fight me." He turned, "Meet me at the stage beneath the World Tree. I'll be waiting for you."

With that, he turned and leapt out the window.

Negi was left speechless.

"Anaki, look over there!" Chamo said, pointing Negi towards the terrified girl with light red hair and a freckled complexion.

"Murakami-san!" He said as he rushed next to the girl's side, "Are you all right, he didn't hurt you, did he?"

The girl seemed dazed, "He attacked Kotaro and took Chizu-neesan." She whimpered.

"Kotaro?" Negi looked over to see the young boy laying unconscious on the floor.

"What's wolf-boy doing here!" The ermine demanded, thinking that they had finally been done with the troublesome kid after they got back from Kyoto.

Negi ignored his companion as he knelt next to the boy and slowly shook him to consciousness, "Hey, snap out of it!" He yelled at the boy.

After a moment Kotaro began to stir, then his eyes fluttered open, his gaze finally settling on Negi. "Is that you…Negi?" He asked disoriented.

"Yeah, it's me Kotaro, what happened!"

It was one of those moments in which the fog lifted from his mind and he remembered one of the central things that happened weeks earlier, when he had first run into the child on his way to the Kansai Association. "Negi!" He snapped grabbing the kid teacher by his shirt, "We have a score to settle, I challenge you to a duel!" He yelled.

"A duel! Are you mad! Get a hold of yourself, there's more important things to worry about!" Negi snapped, forcing the boy's hands off his shirt. "That man took Naba-san!"

"Chizu-neechan!" Kotaro's eyes widened as his memories flooded back to him, he looked around the room quickly, "Where's Natsumi!"

"Murakami-san is all right, it's Naba-san we have to worry about now." Negi lamented. "He's also got my friends, we have to rescue them."

"What," Kotaro asked, "Who'd he take?"

"I can only imagine its Asuna and the others."

"Asuna!" Kotaro snorted in disbelief, "I doubt it!"

"I'm willing to bet he's serious, why would he lie about something like that?"

"To get you all worked up of course," Kotaro pointed out.

"Yeah, but I could just check up on them."

"Well why don't you then!"

Without another word, Negi removed his _pactio_ cards and attempted to make contact with each of them. None of them responded, "This isn't good." He replied, "He has to be telling the truth, otherwise they would answer."

"I just can't believe that they were able to be taken hostage so easily."

"I know…" Negi said his shoulders slumping, then he shook his head, "It doesn't matter. We have to save them."

Kotaro shrugged, "Well, this might come in handy then." He said as he removed a small bottle. "Whatever this thing is, that guy wanted it pretty badly. I grabbed it off these demons that attacked me on the edge of town."

Negi looked over the bottle carefully noting the inscriptions, "This is a artifact for sealing away demons." He concluded after a moment, "They must have been released from this." He gripped the bottle firmly, "Well, now we have a way to defeat them."

"Negi withdrew his wand, "Come on, Kotaro, we need to hurry up." He then realized that Natsumi had been staring at them the whole time.

"Negi-sensei, what's going on?" She pleaded.

Negi sighed, now wasn't the time to involve her in everything that was swirling around him at the moment. He truly wished that she hadn't gotten involved in the first place, but fate was a cruel master. "I'm sorry Murakami-san, but I'll save Naba-san." Then he looked to Kotaro then back at Natsumi, "Then I'll tell you what's going on."

"Please, Negi-sensei, save Chizu-neechan."

"I will, I promise." Negi said as he and Kotaro mounted the wand and they took off out the window towards the theatre stage under the World Tree.

Kotaro could only faintly here Natsumi scream "Be careful," as they flew away from the dormitory.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I'm too damned late!" Magnus cursed as he saw the two boys explode out of the dormitory window on the third floor. The demonic aura—and it _was_ a demonic aura, he was certain of that—had now disappeared and reappeared somewhere off in the distance. And it looked like two boys were attempting to follow after that aura.

_Kids these days_, Magnus sighed to himself as he throttled the Fenrir up to as fast as he dared on the narrow Western-style streets of Mahora City in pursuit of the two boys and their eventual destination. _Those kids can't possibly have any idea what it is they're about to run into!_ He cursed himself for wasting this day.

If this was Fate's move on the Kanto Association he was praying that he wasn't too late to help, or at the very least gather the information necessary to figure out what the homunculus was attempting to achieve.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Asuna groaned as she felt trickles of water splash onto her face. "What's…" She breathed as she tried to remember what had happened to her.

She had been going to her room after getting back from Evangeline's home. Then she remembered something washing over her and…

Her eyes widened as she remembered the suffocating sensation that had grasped her. She was instantly awake, looking around to see if she were still in the dormitory.

Her luck couldn't have been that good; she chided herself as she realized that she was far away from the dormitory that she remembered. Instead, she appeared to be on some sort of stage.

Then the numbing sensation came from her hands and she realized they were suspended above her head. Her bare arms she noted.

She looked down and realized that she was no longer wearing her school uniform, but instead some sort of _sleazy_ lingerie. "What the hell is this!" She snarled indignantly.

"Ah you're finally awake." A voice said from below the stage. Slowly a tall man walked up the stairs and came to stand a meter away from you. "You must excuse my eccentricities." He chuckled as he leered at her, "But I thought it would set the mood perfectly for you to have that 'damsel in distress' look."

She kicked him in the head, "So! That doesn't explain the damn lingerie you dirty pervert!"

The man looked at her incredulously, "Well, I guess it _might_ have been a bit much, but either way, it does accentuate your natural body."

"_Quit staring at me!_" She seethed venom.

"Well, it's lovely to see that Negi's friends are as high spirited as he," Hermann chuckled as he turned away from her.

"Well, don't feel bad, at least you have clothes." A muffled voice came behind her. Asuna strained her head to see that Kazumi, Nodoka, Yui, Ku, and Konoka were all trapped in what appeared to be a giant liquid bubble.

"What are you guys doing here!" Asuna said then looked at them deadpan, "And why are you all naked?"

"The perv snatched us in the bath!" Kazumi replied angrily.

"They also have Setchan and Chizuru-chan!" Konoka said, causing Asuna to look away from her friends to the other two bubbles that flanked the larger prison.

"I thought it better that the demon slayer be left unconscious where she couldn't do any harm," Herrmann replied, "As for the other girl, she was more or less a last minute addition."

"What do you intend to do with us?" Asuna demanded.

Herrmann paced towards her once again, "Well, you my dear are going to help me participate in a little experiment."

"You lay one finger on me, I swear you'll regret ever breathing."

"Oh, it will hardly be something _that_ nefarious, my dear. But I am going to enjoy the outcome no matter what." His attention was suddenly drawn away, "Ah, well it looks like the main characters have finally arrived."

Even at the distance, almost half a kilometer, and over the still torrential rain that beat down on the stage's overhang, Asuna could hear Negi yell, "_Sagitta magica aer capturae!"_ as the volley of lightning arrows came crashing down upon them.

The demon count seemed unperturbed by the attack and merely held out his hand. Asuna could not keep the amazement from her eyes as the arrows slammed into a barrier five meters ahead of the demon. Suddenly, she winced as she felt the necklace around her neck suddenly burn intensely. "What the hell is this?" She winced.

Negi and a boy that Asuna didn't recognize landed at the top of the amphitheatre seats. "Asuna!" He yelled, then looked beyond her, his expression suddenly flushing darkly, "Girls! They've got you all vah-vah-voom'd!"

"It's not what you think!" Yui shot back.

"Well, it sort of is!" Kazumi was quick to add, much to the ire of the other girls.

"What's the meaning of all this!" Negi hissed, "Who are you!"

"I must apologize, dear Negi, but I felt that if I had not taken these beautiful girls hostage, you wouldn't be willing to face me at your full-strength."

"Full-strength huh," Negi repeated.

"Yes, actually it is your full capability in combat that interests me, nothing more. If you are able to defeat me in combat, then I will return the girls to you, that is my only condition. What do you say?"

"Why do you want to fight me?" Negi shot back.

"Aw, what an inquiring lad," the count said with a chuckle, "Actually, I want to see how much you've grown over these years." The count then began to stretch his arms, "Given how much potential Kotaro-kun over there has, I'm expecting you to easily surpass him and not bore me."

"Negi!" The boy that the count had identified as Kotaro balked, "Surpass me," He snorted, "Fat chance, I can kick your ass all the way back to Kyoto!"

"What!" Negi countered, "I've gotten a lot stronger than when we fought back in Kyoto."

And that was how it got started, before long the two boys were quickly arguing over who was stronger and forgetting the threat that was standing before them.

Herrmann looked at them exasperated, "Well, looks like we've got to set them straight I guess," He sighed, "Girls, if you would do the honors."

Without further encouragement, the three slime sisters appeared around the two boys, catching them completely by surprise.

Asuna winced as she saw the three slime demons attack with vicious efficiency. In their opening attack they sent the two boys bouncing down the theatre stands until they came to a halt at the base. To their efforts, they recovered quickly and were suddenly refocused on their foes.

Kotaro landed a vicious punch as the slime demons followed through with their initial attack. While the blow was blocked, it was successful in knocking the unlucky demon into her sister and throwing her backwards. While the third demon wrapped a tendril arm around Negi's arm only to be greeted by an open-palm hammer drive into its face.

The demon stumbled backwards obviously disoriented from the blow.

Still that did not seem to deter the three as they continued to play on the realization that their odds were far in favor of the two boys and then came at them again. Attempting to hammer blow after blow into them, most were met with controlled blocks, while some landed, but still there were even a few that were counterattacked properly that left the demons absorbing more damage than they were inflicting.

In the blink of an eye the three slime demons were crashing into the base of the stage in a rumpled heap. "That's the way to do it Negi!" Asuna cheered.

This time, Negi did not lose focus with any distractions; instead he focused intently on the count.

"We can't let ourselves get bogged down by these guys, the count's the only target!" Kotaro stated as they rushed towards the stage.

"Kotaro, keep the slime demons busy, I'll deal with the count."

"Fine with me!" Kotaro said as he lunched at the three recovered demons. Using his chi he summoned to shadow copies of himself. At first the slime demons were unimpressed by the sudden appearance of the copies, believing them to merely to empty apparitions of the real boy, but they soon realized that with the fewer number, Kotaro could regulate more chi into each copy, giving it physical form enough so that the punches that suddenly lashed out from the copies were more than enough to set the sisters back on the defensive.

All the while, Negi removed a small practice wand from his pocket, "_Sagitta magica una lucis!"_ he yelled, as the single magic arrow shot out at the count.

The man standing before him was unimpressed, holding out his palm as the blast was absorbed and negated.

_Impossible! He stopped another of my magical attacks, how is he doing it! _Negi wondered, _No matter that still should have distracted him enough for me to do this…_

He swung past the count, appearing behind him as he grabbed the magical bottle from his pocket and threw it at the count. "_Lagena signatoria!_" he incanted as the bottle suddenly glowed brilliantly, a magical array appearing around it as the bottle's cork shot out and aimed directly at the count.

He could see surprise in the count's expression, but then the expression turned to satisfaction as the bottle's intense light suddenly dissipated and it crumpled to the ground useless.

"What!" Negi said in disbelief.

His stunned disbelief was broken immediately as Asuna's screamed in pain as the spell's effects were transferred from the count to her.

The count merely chuckled, "Well I guess that proves my theory at least." He grinned at the girl, "Looks like the experiment was a success."

"What have you done to Asuna!" Negi snapped his anger rising.

"Well, I've done nothing," the count admitted, "Actually, you're the one whose actually been inflicting all that pain upon the poor lady."

Negi looked over to Asuna, his faced a mixture of horrified concern and seething rage.

"Now, now, Negi my boy," Herrmann continued, "Let's not let this keep us from having that fight that I promised you. I would really be disappointed if that last attack of yours was the best you had to offer, because otherwise…" the count suddenly disappeared from where he was standing.

Negi felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and he spun just in time to see the count reappear behind him.

"This won't be any fun!" He snarled as he slammed forth a devastating right punch, "_Demora pulsea!_" he incanted as he reinforced his blow with a magical spell that sent a massive concussion wave slamming into Negi.

He had raised his arms to guard against the physical blow, but his magical barrier hadn't erected itself completely resulting in the massive force cascading over him and throwing him off the stage and back into the rows of seats.

Herrmann had angled his attack perfectly to not only open the distance between Negi and himself, but also to catch Kotaro completely by surprise as well.

The half-wolf boy looked up just as the concussion wave slammed into him throwing him nearly twenty meters until he landed unceremoniously into the bleachers next to Negi.

"Dirty trick, old man." He wheezed painfully.

"Oh I'm not done yet." Herrmann chuckled as he sent another volley of concussion waves crashing at them.

This time though, Negi brought up his magical barrier in time, and the tidal forces merely bent and twisted before washing away from the two youths, sending the daunting force to crash into the amphitheatre around them. Debris and dust filled the air creating a choking cloud that hung about them for almost a minute. Negi waited for a follow up attack, but the count resided himself to seeing the effects of his attack with his own eyes.

As the dust settled, the count chuckled. "Very good, Negi! Very good indeed!" He bellowed genuinely impressed. "It takes a pretty strong mage to redirect a _demora pulsea_ attack. You're continuing to impress me."

Negi didn't say a word, as the spell he had been reciting on in the brief respite that they had been given finished. Thrusting his hand out he finished the incantation, "_Fulguratio albicans!_" He yelled as he sent a directed lightning attack at Herrmann.

The count merely shrugged as the attack was dissipated before ever touching him.

"How the hell is he doing this!" Kotaro snarled angrily.

"'Magic cancel,' the ability to completely nullify magical spells." The count explained simply, looking over to where Asuna hung, her expression pained and exhausted. "Lady Asuna Kagurazaka, for some reason appears to have the very rare ability to cancel magic." He said with an amused chuckle. "Normally for magic users and demons like myself, such ability would be exceptionally dangerous," Then he grinned, "but thankfully this time around it's certainly worked to my favor."

_All this time_, he realized, _all this time it hadn't been Asuna's _pactio_ artifiact that had forced all those demons in Kyoto to be vanquished, it had been Asuna _herself_. All those times that my Magic seemed to backfire or become increasingly ineffective when Asuna was around, it was always her!_

And now, his enemies had realized it before he ever even suspected it. Negi felt a cold lump drop into his guts as he looked at his friend, "Asuna, are you okay!"

"I-I'm fine, Negi." She whimpered back. "Don't worry about me."

"Now Negi my lad, I think it's time that we actually finished this fight the proper way!" Herrmann said as he suddenly closed the distance separating them in an eye-blink and threw another magically enhanced punch at where Negi stood.

The boy reacted on instinct alone, dodging the attack just as it was about to land. Kotaro and him used the opening to press their own attack, but the count was more than capable of handling two combatants at once.

Herrmann paused in his assault as he realized that the fight was not going exactly as he had wanted. That was not to say that he was losing the fight, only that the Kotaro boy was becoming more and more of a trouble participant.

His right knee shot out, catching Negi in the side of the head and throwing him away from the count long enough for him to contend with the troublesome youth.

"It's time that you bowed out, Kotaro!" Herrmann said as he snatched the kid by his hair, temporarily catching him off guard. He followed through with landing a destructive _demora pulsea_ punch to the kid's face at point blank range.

Without Negi's magical barrier to help protect the child, he absorbed the full force of the attack. The boy flew away almost clearing the upper most rows of the amphitheatre before he came to an unconscious heap. Smoke and energy still crackled from the boy's body even as he lay there.

"KOTARO!" Negi screamed horrified by the attack.

Herrmann merely turned to face Negi. "Well now, my boy, you and I can have that fight we promised without any more interruptions." Then his expression deadened, "Now, quit holding back and fight me for real."

Negi glared at the demon noble angrily, "I swear, I'm giving it my all."

"No, no I think not." Herrmann sighed, "You have a lot of potential, quite a bit in fact, but you're not channeling it right." He grinned, "You don't have the proper motivation to get you properly focused." His eyes narrowed as he gave Negi a once over, "What compels you to fight, Negi?"

"You've captured my friends!" He snarled back.

"That's what compelled you to come here to fight today, but that's not what compelled you to start training to begin with." His grin turned manic, as he pointed at the unconscious form of Kotaro, "That boy, he fights because he enjoys it, I can see it in his eye. He enjoys the challenged, the exhilaration of attempting to face someone who is more powerful than he is and attempt to see if he can surpass that foe."

He then pointed his finger at Negi, "You on the other hand, I think I know exactly why it is you fight." He grinned as he removed hit hat, allowing the rain to beat down upon his hair, "This night isn't all that different from that night, granted it's a little warmer tonight, but still the effect is the same."

Suddenly his face transformed and Negi gawked in horror as he realized for the first time who it was that he was seeing.

His face was relatively featureless, except for two long twisting horns, the left one was chipped, it was the demon from that night six years ago.

"You fight in hopes of escaping the memories from that night in the snow." Herrmann bellowed, his laughter echoing through the amphitheatre. "Of all the demons sent then, I was the only one from the nobility. All those people, your friends and family, who were petrified that day, it was I who did that." he said as he placed the hat back on his face and returned to his human form. "Those demons were there because I ordered them to be there. That whole massacre was because of me!"

"Negi!" Asuna cried from where she was still confined. "Snap out of it Negi!" She cried, her terror evident on her face as she saw the boy's ashen expression. Those brown eyes of his, often so caring and concerned, were now replaced with dread and horror.

Suddenly, she felt the restraints slacken, and her arms were free. She looked up, then over her shoulder to see a man standing next to her, a long cloak masking his features. "Who are you?" She asked as he reached around her neck and removed the pendant.

She stared over her shoulder to see that the others had been released from their prisons as well. The slime demons were nowhere to be seen either, she glanced over to see that clutched in the man's hand was the magical bottle that he unconsciously juggled in one hand as he tossed the pendant to the ground.

"Just watch." The man said softly, his gaze focused on Negi and the demon.

Just as Asuna turned to look back at Negi, her mouth gaped in shock as suddenly Negi wasn't standing, but moving, he closed the distance between Herrmann in an eyeblink.

The move seemed to even catch the demon by surprise as his brow shot up in amazement.

Then the punch landed; an earth-shattering magic-reinforced uppercut sent Herrmann flying into the air. The count was given no moment to recover what had just happened as Negi was already on top of him again, magical energy coursing so freely through his body that his magical aura was actively visible to the naked eye.

He drove a crushing elbow into Herrmann's gut, forcing the air out of the demon's lungs as Negi followed through with a roundhouse kick that sent the count sailing back to the earth.

Negi was relentless, slamming punch after punch into the demon, sending him airborne then crashing him back into the ground, kicking up shattered concrete and dust with each attack.

"This is wonderful!" Herrmann managed to wheeze through broken teeth. "This is perfect!"

Then as Negi was about to follow through with yet another frightening attack, Herrmann transformed once again into his demon form, his mouth glowing brightly as he summoned for his petrification curse. "But it's over now!" He cackled.

Negi was completely blindsided by the attack, he simply stopped and gazed as the light overwhelmed him.

"Negi!" Asuna screamed, remembering what this attack had done to Stan and Negi's cousin.

The attack faded and Herrmann chuckled as he waited to admire his handiwork. Then a frown crossed his features as he stared into empty space.

"What?" He balked then looked down at the amphitheatre.

Negi felt a pair of arms holding him tightly, he opened his eyes to see that he had been grabbed at the last moment by this mysterious stranger, now the man's hooded face looked up to the heavens where the demon count hovered.

His eyes widened in awe as the memories from six years ago again flooded him.

_It can't be_, he thought as his heart jumped, _You can't be…but maybe._

"Father!" Negi said as he looked up into the hooded man's face.

"I'm afraid not kiddo." The man responded as he set the young boy down.

"Then who are you?" He asked as he regained his footing.

He didn't answer immediately, but instead chuckled. "Well if you were to call me anything, I guess I'd be the backup."

"Backup?" Negi said perplexed.

"Well, yeah, here to step in should you get in over your head." The mysterious mage looked over to Herrmann, "Not that I don't think you can't take him." He said, "Although, I would have thought that by now you would have learned that when you're in a fight the last thing you can afford to do is let your head get away from you." The man's voice carried with it the lecturing tone of a seasoned teacher. "What I saw was pretty impressive; up until you walked right into his line of fire. That's where you screwed up."

"And who might you be, sir." Herrmann remarked casually returning to his human form and landing on the concrete floor of the amphitheatre. "Your aura has a very familiar sense to it, but I can't place it."

"To be honest, I'm slightly hurt Wilhelm that you don't recognize me." He chuckled again.

The demon seemed to balk at the mocking tone from the other man. "Well, no matter." Herrmann snarled, "You're interfering and I can't possibly let that stand!" With that the count fired another petrification curse at Negi and the interloper.

The man outstretched his hand, and the spell splashed harmlessly against the magical barrier that he erected.

Herrmann looked back at what little damage he had actually achieved, "Impressive, you're not some too-bit street urchin who wandered off the street."

"Wilhelm, you need to stop this right now." The mage commanded.

The count chuckled, "That pretty high talk coming from someone who just appeared on the scene. What do you think, you can throw up a couple of magic barriers and that will be the end it, we can simply go our separate ways, no harm done?"

"Wilhelm, this isn't your fight." The man cautioned.

"Unfortunately, friend, I was hired for a job, and my honor is at stake here. I will complete it or die trying."

"There's no way you'll reconsider, Graf?" the mage asked his tone remorseful.

"I'm afraid not."

Negi watched in awe as the mage simply stood his ground, unfazed by the demon's banter.

"Very well. Negi," He said, his tenor strong and confident, "You're friends have been saved, you think you can defeat Graf Herrmann or do you need me to finish this?"

Negi was surprised by the man's statement. This stranger had not only intervened to save him from his reckless actions but now seemed to believe that he could stop this demon without so much a care or concern.

More importantly, he was leaving the decision on how to finish off the demon to Negi. For the life of him, he couldn't recall any moment in his life where an adult had treated him, not as some little kid, but an equal. He was honest enough with himself to admit that he felt himself swell with pride that someone would have such respect for him.

After a moment, the boy nodded with certainty, "I can defeat him," Negi said confidently, "But I'll need you to delay him for a little bit. This spell I'm working on takes a little time for me to cast."

The man genuinely laughed as he began pacing towards the demon. "Take all the time in the world, I'll be here." He said as he waved a hand casually and stopped a few meters from Herrmann.

"You seem pretty sure about yourself stranger." Herrmann glared, "is it false bravado or sheer stupidity?"

The cloaked figure merely laughed then his voice changed as he switched from Japanese to a language that Herrmann could not believe any mage knew. "I hope you'll forgive me, Wilhelm, but I'm not going to hold back." He said in the Tongue of the Ancients, the native language of the demons.

"Who…" He managed to say before the man outstretched his hand.

"_Hasta Necrum!" _he commanded.

Herrmann lurched to his right, avoiding the two-meter long dark spear that soared through where he had just been standing.

_He isn't a normal mage! _Herrmann thought to himself in shock back peddling to open the distance and hopefully buy himself time to recover from the shock that was coursing through his system. Then the realization of the attack that had just been cast at him sunk in.

_Hasta Necrum_ wasn't an ordinary spell that most Magi could cast, in fact there were only a handful of individuals that Herrmann knew who would be willing to commit themselves to learning such a powerful, but dangerous spell.

"Too slow!" the mage shot back as he threw another one of the dark spears at Herrmann. Opening the distance bought him precious tenths of a second to react. He threw himself once again out of the path of the deadly missile, rolling into a crouch and letting his instincts guide him. He fired another petrification curse at the attacker.

Tthe man seemed momentarily caught off guard, but managed to erect a barrier at the last moment. Still, Herrmann could have sworn that he saw embers of the spell land true.

The mage snarled as he spun, redirecting the residual blast away and launching this time a pair of death spears at the count.

Things were happening too fast. It was in that moment that Herrmann realized that being sealed away for six long years were having its effect on his reaction time. As he dodged the first spear, he realized that he had thrown himself directly into the path of the second spear. Realizing his error all he could do was throw up a magic barrier at the last moment.

The spear halted in mid-air as it met his barrier, and there was a moment of resistance as it just hung there. Herrmann actually entertained a thought that perhaps he might have stopped the attack. Unfortunately that thought died instantly as some invisible force managed to force the missile through the barrier.

Herrmann snarled angrily as the spear lodged itself in his shoulder. His body slacked as the magical array flared from the spear and he felt his body weakening. The spear was sapping his energy, worse yet he realized it was beginning to tear at his very soul.

Negi watched in awe as he saw the mysterious mage work, his attacks were so fast, so vicious, it truly did remind him of that night in the snow when he had watched his father vanquish those demons. Still, this wasn't like that night, and this man wasn't his father, and more over, this time there was something that Negi _could_ do to help.

He closed his eyes, his mind focusing as he perform the spell, his concentration absolute as this time he knew what was expected of him. He knew he could do this, he had to, if for nothing else than to stop this demon from ever hurting anyone else ever again.

He felt his body heat as he brought the rampant magical aura still coursing through him under control, reigning it under his will and focusing it towards the task that he willed it to perform.

It was in that moment of certainty Negi's voice boomed through the amphitheatre, "I'm ready!"

That was all that the mage needed to hear as he leapt away from the demon just as Negi recited the final command, his hands outstretched and aimed at the demon, "_Axe of Lightning!"_

The mage watched in awe at the onslaught that the young mage had just released. Herrmann attempted to dodge, but his body was too slow, drained from the death spear lodged in his shoulder.

Realizing that there was nowhere for Herrmann to run, he willed forth one more barrier. The barrier snapped into place, and halted the torrent of concentrated electrical fury for the briefest of seconds before the barrier failed and the demon was engulfed. The power behind the manifested attack spell was so strong, so concentrated, that everyone within the Amphitheatre was momentarily blinded from it.

The residual energy short forth from the ground lanced high into the sky and parted the rain clouds that had been continuing its downpour.

When the light had cleared, Graf Wilhelm Josef Von Herrmann lay at the base of the stage. His body smoldering and broken from the attack.

Negi looked at him in shock, but also gratified that his attack had succeeded enough to finish off the demon.

The count coughed painfully as he looked down at his body. "Not too bad." He whispered in Japanese. "The win is yours, lad. You may finish me off as you like." He coughed.

Negi looked at the wounded demon, then back at his friends, now freed of their confinement and covered in towels. "I don't think that will be necessary." Negi said as his gaze rested on the newcomer who stood off to one side, his features hidden by the cloak's hood. Still, Negi could sense the man's gaze upon him.

Herrmann chuckled, "You know, normally high-level demons like myself can only be sealed away, but that attack of yours was a powerful enough ancient spell to completely destroy my physical form." He coughed again, "This might very well be your only chance to finish me off, otherwise I will return to my Kingdom and possibly…" a trickle of blood trailed from his mouth, "I might come back."

"I can't bring myself to kill you though." Negi conceded.

"Why?"

He looked over to his friends, "Because, in all the time you had my friends, you never harmed them. There's good in you."

Wilhelm actually managed to laugh despite all of his pain, "Good! In a demon!" He balked, and then sobered, "You truly are an amazing child, Negi Springfield." Then his expression softened, "For that, I will give you a little bit of information." He pointed to where Konoka stood, "You're powerful, but that girl right there might very well be the most powerful mage in all of Japan. If she trains herself properly, she could probably break my petrification spell and bring all of your friends and family from the village back."

Negi's eyes widened, then they too softened, "Thank you." He said.

"If you'll grant me one last concession though, while I'm still alive." Herrmann winced, "May I have a word with that man." He asked pointing to where the newcomer stood.

Negi looked up to see that the mage had walked closer to Herrmann's body. He looked between the two men for a moment before finally nodding his head and stepping away.

With Negi now several meters away from them to afford them a moment of privacy, Herrmann looked intently into the man's shadowed face. "Is it really you?" He asked speaking in the Tongues of the Ancients.

The mage gave the count a once over, "You're a very long way from home, Wilhelm." He said in their language, deflecting the question.

"That may be, My Lord, but considering that I was able to meet you again, I think it was worth it." Herrmann chuckled.

"I wish it hadn't come to this," the man said.

The demon shook his head, "You are not to blame, My Lord. If there is anything that we must uphold above all else, it is our honor. I was hired for this assignment to repay a debt and I carried it out to the best of my abilities, I have no regrets." He coughed painfully, "besides my physical body is just dying. It is nothing to be concerned about, My Lord." He then looked intently, "When I return to the Kingdom, are there any words you would like me to give to anyone?"

The mage shook his head, "I think it would be best, Wilhelm, if you would keep my involvement in this a secret. Both for my sake as well as yours, I'm still an outcast." He said finally admitting his identity to the demon.

Wilhelm reached up and grasped the mage's hand. "My Lord, there are still many of us who will follow you. You have but to ask."

The mage shook his head, "I'm sorry Wilhelm, but I'm not worthy of that loyalty."

The demon seemed to ignore that statement, "Whenever you need us, you have but to ask. The _Momento Mori_ are yours to command."

"Tell me who sent you then Wilhelm." The man said, his expression hardened.

The count did not hesitate, "I was summoned by a woman, she did not give me her name and I did not ask. She was a Westerner, slim, about average height with blonde hair, blue eyes, a pale complexion and wire-rimmed crescent class." He coughed again, "She has some association with this Academy as she knew quite a few details about the layout and where I could find Negi and his companions."

"Do you know if she was working with anyone?" He inquired.

"She had a _minister magi_, that much I know for certain. I did not catch all the details, but she did mention someone else, but I thought he had died in the Great War."

"I need a name Wilhelm." He persisted.

"Fate Averruncus." He said.

The mage nodded, "Thank you, Wilhelm. It may not mean anything, but your help is beyond what I could ever have hoped."

"We are here to serve you," Then his expression softened as he winced painfully, "It looks like my time is ending, please take care My Lord." He whispered as his body turned to dust and Graf Wilhelm Joseph Von Herrmann returned to the Kingdom of the Demons.

When Wilhelm was finally gone, Negi approached the mage slowly. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, who exactly are you?"

The mage, his face still covered by his cloak, shook his head, "I think you need to check on your friend over there, Negi Springfield." His voice had changed; it was harder, less forgiving than it had been during the fight.

"Kotaro-kun!" Negi suddenly remembered as he raced off towards where the injured boy lay.

Negi found Kotaro, alive but badly injured. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw that the mage had disappeared. _Who was he?_ He thought, but knew that the important task was making certain that Kotaro was tended to.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Well that was an interesting show." Evangeline growled from where she stood in the World Tree's branches. It had been a perfect vantage point to witness the entire interplay between Negi and the demon, as well as that of the interloper.

"For a moment there, Master, you seemed on edge." Chachamaru said.

Evangeline glared at the android in distaste, "If anything, I'm pissed that that idiotic mage showed up and bailed boya out of the frying pan at the last second. How is that boy expected to learn if he keeps getting his bacon saved at every turn?"

"I'm sure the mage in question had good provocation." Chachamaru pointed out.

"Oh, shut up," She scolded then looked off in the distance as she saw a shadow shift slightly. She smiled; apparently they hadn't been the only ones who had taken an interest in Negi's fight with the demon count.

* * *

Magnus thumbed Takamichi's doorbell with extravagance and waited for it to be answered. He leaned heavily against the wall next to the door while he waited. He favored his right arm as the pain continued to surge through it. Already he could feel the pain from his momentary hesitation. He would have thought by now that he would have learned never to underestimate his opponents, especially those like Wilhelm.

His body felt on fire, even with the artifact, the magical array that sealed his power had still flared at his use of magic. He looked down at the artifact, he had used far more power than he had anticipated. Still, there had been little other choice, high level demons were not the sort that you fought at half-strength, well not if you intended to come out of the fight alive.

About fifteen seconds passed before the door finally opened. "Magnus!" Takamich said happily, "You finally made it!" he then looked out behind him, "looks like the rain's cleared." When his gaze finally settled on Magnus though he immediately sobered. "What happened?"

"Not to be rude," Magnus held up a hand as he entered the home pausing long enough to take off his shoes in the entryway, "but it's been a _long_ day, I just need some sleep if that's all right with you." He heaved painfully.

Takamichi looked at Magnus with a puzzled expression, "Sure, I have the guest room already set up for you,"

"Thanks, Takamichi-kun, I'll fill you in on the details in the morning." He grunted as he was guided into the guest room. Magnus's head had just hit the pillow as sleep fleeted him away from the real world.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Morning came far too quickly, Magnus concluded as he rolled out of bed. With a painful sigh he paced over to the restroom just off the guestroom. Wincing softly he locked the door behind him and gave himself a once over in the mirror.

He had slept in the clothes that he had worn as he arrived in Mahora and during his fight with Wilhelm.

Knowing he wasn't going to like what came next; he slowly unbuttoned the cuff of his right sleeve and slowly rolled it up to past his elbow.

He figured it was going to be bad, he just hadn't thought it would look worse than what he thought.

About eighteen centimeters of his forearm was petrified, apparently when Wilhelm had hit him with that second petrification curse he hadn't been quick enough to defend himself.

He turned his arm over as he examined the damage. The skin around the petrified area was red and painfully swollen. He carefully flexed his hand, making certain that most of the damage was surface only and hadn't spread deeper into this bone or worse yet completely through. Considering that he still had sensation and feeling in his hand, he was pretty certain that the damage had only penetrated a few millimeters, if any deeper.

That of course, did not do anything to negate the pain that was pulse through his arm though.

He grumbled a sigh and quickly journeyed over to the shower stall. Like much of Mahora Academy, Takamichi's house had been built with a Western influence. As such it did not have many of the traditional Japanese accommodations. It was just fine for Magnus who was used to such furnishings, but he had little idea how Takamichi might consider it.

Undressing so he could take his shower, he laid his worn suit out before him, he waved a hand over the clothes and smiled to himself as the cleaning spell took hold and the suit was pressed and cleaned instantly.

"Well, at least I can do that for myself." He grumbled as he looked at himself in the mirror. His features momentarily disgusted as he stared at the intricate magical array that adorned his body.

He wondered, even after twenty years, if he would be able to one day look into that mirror and think that what he had done had indeed been the right thing?

So far, as long as he was being honest enough with himself, he could safely say that every time he saw the array he continued to hate himself for what he had done. His own personal stigmata for what he had done during the end of the Great War. Many had praised him for saving millions of lives, but in doing so he had crossed a line that could never be forgiven by his own people much less himself.

His hands balled into firsts as he glared into his reflection. Why had he done it last night! He snarled at himself, why had he gone there and attack Wilhelm like that? Was it his attempt to reach salvation…

He wanted to scream, to yell and rip the vanity from its foundation and destroy everything in the bathroom, but he did not. He slowed his breathing, controlled his emotions and his thoughts and then he walked into the shower.

The blistering hot water stung at him, but it was a pain that Magnus relished. It gave him an outlet to his rage, to his hatred for himself. It was moments like these that he realized that the only thing he could feel any more was the pain.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

* * *

Takamichi was sitting at the breakfast table in the kitchen when Magnus entered.

"Glad to see you're awake." Takamichi said as he sipped at his coffee, looking over the contents of a manila folder laying on the table. He gave Magnus a quick once over, noticing how the suit he wore was freshly pressed, and noticed the pair of white cotton gloves that he now wore. He decided to shrug off any additional questions and remain on target. "I guess you weren't kidding when you said you had a busy night last night." He said with a trace of humor in his voice.

"Excuse me?" Magnus asked as he reached for the coffee pot then looked around the kitchen for a cup.

"Second cupboard on your right." Takamichi guided.

"Thanks," He replied as he opened the cupboard door and removed a coffee cup.

"Sugar's in the drawer below the coffee pot." He said before Magnus went in search for his next condiment.

"Thanks again," He said scooping out three sugar cubes and placing them in his coffee before approaching the table. "Now what were you saying?" He asked as he sipped the slightly sweetened beverage.

"Oh, I was just reading up on your exploits last night that's all." Takamichi explained as he passed the folder over to Magnus. He looked at the documents with an uninterested eye. He sifted through a couple of pages, noted two of the photographs that had been taken obviously from magical orbs and nodded.

"That's really informative." Magnus said as he handed the documents back.

"That's all you have to say about it?" Takamichi asked.

Magnus shrugged, "Looks like they touched on most of the highpoints. Negi and his friends were involved in an attack by a high-level demon, some unnamed Samaritan swooped in, helped out and the demon was vanquished, seems pretty open-and-closed to me."

"I noticed how you say 'Samaritan' and don't implicate yourself there."

"Good timing on his part I guess." Magnus said with flare as he took a sip from his coffee, "Anyway, don't you need to be getting to school and I need to speak with the Headmaster?"

"Magnus, I'm talking to you about this because this is what the headmaster had delivered to my doorstep this morning!" Takamichi protested, "Given the fact that this attack just happens to coincide with your arrival seems pretty fishy."

"Hey, I didn't ask the demon to show up and make trouble!" Magnus replied casually, "Besides, from what the report says, Negi and his friends seemed to work it out just fine."

"It looks like they had some rather fortunate help." Takamichi added.

"Yeah," Magnus said with a shrug, "I guess it was rather fortunate."

"Cut the crap, Mathias!" Takamichi snapped, "Don't you realize I'm trying to help you here. This is something that the headmaster is going to be taking a very keen eye over. Especially in lieu of you attempting to stay here at Mahora Academy."

A silence hung between the two men that seemed to stretch for all eternity. Finally, Magnus realized that no matter what happened, Takamichi needed to know what he suspected. He had been hoping to wait until after he spoke with Konoemon to bring Takamichi into the fold, but realized that that was not going to be the case. If he was going to get anywhere here at Mahora, he needed allies, and dropping what he suspected on both of them simultaneously might not be the wisest course of action.

Still, he really hated repeating himself…decisions, decisions.

Magnus took one more gulp of coffee before he settled on telling Takamichi. "Okay," He said sighing, "The demon that appeared here and the events at Sukuna Lake are related."

That statement seemed to catch Takamichi by surprise, "Related? How?" He asked.

"Before I left Kyoto, it was all circumspect, but after last night." He paused for a moment. "After seeing Fate in the Death Visage, I started wondering what it might be that he would be doing involving himself in Agamasaki's mess. The only reasonable conclusion I came to was that he wanted to help destabilize the Kansai Association. It was meant to either stop the Kansai from doing something, or to hinder it so that perhaps the Kanto Association can increase its own influence."

Takamichi was silent, digesting what Magnus was telling him. "Why didn't you tell me this before I left Kyoto?"

"Like I said, it was all circumspect up until last night." He explained, "Then after we defeated the demon, I spoke with him and found out that he had received his marching orders from Fate."

"But why?" Takamichi asked, "And why is it that you didn't feel to tell me this last night when you arrived?"

Magnus shrugged as he finished the contents of his coffee cup and went back for seconds. "I was pretty out of it. I had to use some high level barriers and spells to give Negi the time he needed to finish the demon off."

"I thought your magical abilities were limited."

Magnus held up the artifact around his neck, "A little souvenir from Nagi. He stored his magical potential into this for a couple of years before he left the Kyoto Apartment. It has a pretty high reserve, but I tapped a lot of juice out of it last night." He dropped a couple of sugar cubes into his cup then looked over at the younger man, "Need a refill."

Takamichi shrugged and handed over his cup, "just black." He said.

With both of their cups refilled Magnus returned to the table. "So this demon just gave up Fate's name without a problem?"

Mangus nodded, "I was pretty persuasive," He lied. The last thing he wanted to tell Takamichi about was just how well connected he was within the Kingdom. His status amongst Cosmos Entelecheia as one of their most formidable warriors and generals from the Great War was common knowledge. His status within the Kingdom most certainly was not.

"And you trust this information?" Takamichi asked.

"I trust it enough to use it to pursue an investigation around Mahora Academy." Magnus paused then added, "With or without the Headmaster's approval."

"Magnus, I don't think that would be very wise." He countered.

"It doesn't matter; individuals like Fate don't just go around playing henchman and releasing demons on schools without a bigger plan in mind. And if Fate is involved…" He sighed, "I guess I never told you much about what Cosmos Entelecheia did to begin the Great War."

Takamichi was thoughtful for a moment before shaking his head.

"Infiltration, manipulation, disinformation, sabotage." Magnus said softly counting off fingers until finally he lifted his thumb, "Assassination." The man shook his head, "You might never have realized exactly what it was that we did to get that war started and what we did to keep it going, but it wasn't pretty. And the problem is that I'm beginning to see the same signs of this sort of action here. Fate's behavior fits with what we did over twenty years ago."

Takamichi looked thoughtful, "I can't argue with your assessment, Magnus. Simply because I didn't have any sort of clue of what you or Cosmos Entelecheia did back then, Geteau-sensei didn't confide in me all that about that side of the war."

Magnus's expression was remorseful, "Trust me, Takamichi-kun take what Geteau did for you as a blessing. You really don't want to know what we did either."

The other man was quiet for several minutes before apparently coming to terms with the situation as it stood. "Well, what do you propose we do?" He asked finally.

Magnus shrugged, "Well, first I have to speak with the Headmaster; if he's willing to jump on board with everything that will leave us sitting much better. He'll be able to give us the necessary resources to root out whoever infiltrated the Kanto Association. If Konoemon wants to drive me out of town, then that leave just you and me to try and figure this all out by ourselves."

"You're serious about staying even if the Headmaster doesn't want you here?" Takamichi asked.

"If last night hadn't occurred, I would be a little more dubious about forcing myself to stay, but knowing what I know now, I do believe that Cosmos Entelecheia, or someone associated with that group is operating here at Mahora."

Takamichi looked out the kitchen window at the rising morning sun, "Well then let's hope that the Headmaster is willing to have you stay here at Mahora." Then he sighed as he looked back at Magnus, "You know, when I offered you to come to Mahora, I hadn't expected it to blow up like this. I really had thought that you could just live here for a while and find some peace."

Magnus bared a feral grin, "I've had my peace, Takamichi, but this sort of thing is really what I was born for. It makes me remember that there is something that I'm good at." He said as he stood up and finished his second cup of coffee before taking it over to the sink and rinsing out the remains. "Don't we need to leave if you're not going to be late for class?"

"Right," Takamichi said as he stood from the table and made his way towards the front door, all the while his mind swirled around the reality that Magnus had just unloaded upon him. He was surprised to realize that he felt a small thrill course through him as he realized just how much this seemed like the old days with _Ala Rubra_ and their adventures through the Magical World.

Except, this time there were only Magnus and him to pick up the slack.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The hallways of Mahora Academy were the usual array of controlled chaos as Takamichi and Magnus headed for the headmaster's office.

"Looks like we picked a splendid time to see the Headmaster." Magnus grumbled as he dodged the onslaught of girls quickly rushing to their classes.

"Can't be helped." Takamichi said unfazed by the commotion.

Magnus was about to bite back a retort when he realized that his friend had survived this sort of stampede for over a decade. This was second nature to him.

_I doubt I could ever get used to this_. He thought somberly as they finally managed to navigate the busy crowds and make their way finally into the reception lobby adjacent to Konoemon's office.

The young man sitting behind the desk did surprise Takamichi though. "Ah, Hei-kun, what are you doing here? Where's Shizuna-sensei?"

Hei Sung-Lou smiled understandably, "Minamoto-sensei unfortunately fell ill last night," The young man of Chinese descent, with short black hair, and confidence eyes explained "I was asked to fill in for her today."

"Well, that's very good of you, Hei-kun." Takamichi said with a simple smile, "If you could please, would you inform the headmaster that I'm here and that my guest is with me as well."

"Of course, Takahata-sensei." Hei Sung-Lou stood from his desk and quickly walked to the office door. After sticking his head in and announcing the two's presence, he escorted the two men into the headmaster's office, then quietly bid a rapid retreat.

The man sitting behind the desk looked up at the newcomers; a smile transformed his wizened features into that best described as a kind, and slightly mischievous, sage. "Ah, Takamichi-kun, I'm so glad that you could make it here on such short notice." Konoe Konoemon said as he walked around his desk to approach the two men.

"Not at all, Headmaster, it's my pleasure." He said as the headmaster of Mahora Academy stopped a few meters from Magnus.

Konoemon ran a critical eye towards Magnus, inspecting every detail with intrigue, after a moment he snorted happily, "The years have been quite good to you, Mathias-san." He said as he offered his hand.

Magnus did not hesitate to grasp the proffered hand, "Same to you Konoemon-sama."

The man chuckled in his unusual "ho ho ho" laugh that Magnus remembered so well as the two released each other's grip. Konoemon turned continuing to chuckle earnestly as one hand stroked his beard. "I would like to think so." He said humorously then beckoned to the chairs at the front of the desk as he returned to his own seat.

Once everyone was seated, the headmaster's gaze shifted from Takamichi to Magnus then back, his expression thoughtful. "Would you care for any refreshments before we begin?" He asked.

Both men respectfully declined.

"Very well," He said, his expression hardening slightly. The Konoemon that Magnus knew forty years ago was a kind and caring man who saw the world as a bountiful experience meant to be enjoyed. In the decades since, seeing the man before him, he could see that Konoemon had not changed much. He stilled possessed that aura of a carefree and tenderness that was rare for Magnus to run across. It was because of that though that seeing the headmaster's expression was all the more troubling.

"Takamichi-kun here has expressed your intention of living here at Mahora Academy. I granted this meeting on his behalf due to his valuable contribution that he has made to this school for the last decade. Unfortunately, whether or not that I grant his request and allow you to stay at Mahora rests entirely on your ability to explain to me why it is that you wish to be here." Konoemon's tone was grave, all carefree attitudes being replaced by a seriousness that was unusual to witness.

"The safety of this school, and more importantly its students, are my chief responsibility." He stated, "As such, given your history; both with me, as well as during the Great War, you can understand why it is that I would harbor some concerns about your presence here at Mahora Academy."

"Especially considering last night's incident." Magnus said casually.

Konoemon quirked an eyebrow, "That is certainly something that I had hoped to discuss with you in detail, yes. The timing of the demon's attack here at the Academy and your arrival is very… circumspect."

"Very true, I cannot argue that, Konoemon-sama," Magnus nodded understandably, "And truth be told, the two events are not entirely unrelated."

Konoemon looked intently at the mage sitting across from him but remained silent so that Magnus could continue.

"Takamichi's initial request that I come to Mahora Academy was perhaps based on his assumption that I should somehow return to the Magical Society, where my abilities could best be utilized." He explained, glancing over to Takamichi to see the other man's expression.

In the last decade, the younger man had done well to control his expressions, so much so that Magnus found it difficult to see the slight look of surprise that was whirling through his mind. It was the slight tightness around the eyes that gave him away, though Magnus concluded.

"And truth be told," he continued, "I believed that to be the only reason for me to arrive here where I could participate in many of the humanitarian efforts that Takamichi-kun participates in. Unfortunately, in my journey to Mahora I stumbled across information about what happened during Professor Negi Springfield's school trip to Kyoto, specifically the involvement of a young boy known as Fate Averruncus.

"As you might know Konoemon-sama, Fate Averruncus was one of the five High Lieutenants of Cosmos Entelecheia during the Great War." He stated somberly, "He was also killed in the last battle of that war, only to reappear ten years later in a plot that involved the Twilight Princess."

Konoemon nodded, "Yes, I would recall that incident quite well; it is after all what eventually brought Takamichi-kun and Asuna-chan to this Academy." Then his expression softened, "And it was also my understanding that you precipitated their escape at great risk to your personal safety as well."

"Yes," was all Magnus was willing to go into detail about that particular point, "and it was also during that incident that we discovered that Fate Averruncus was actually a homunculus summoned by a high mage from Cosmos Entelecheia." Magnus spared a glance at Takamichi whose expression was a thoughtful one. "This homunculus was killed thanks to the efforts of _Ala Rubra_ to protect the Twilight Princess."

"And now you believe there to be a third-incarnation of this Fate Averruncus."

Magnus nodded, "I've seen the boy with my own eyes in a Death Visage that I experienced at Sukuna Lake, where Agamasaki was defeated by Negi and Evangeline's efforts. I have absolutely no doubt that the boy who fought Negi there was indeed Fate Averruncus."

He fell silent for a moment to let this information be digested.

"And aside from young Negi-kun's fight with this boy, how does this involve you, Mathias?" Konoemon said after a brief pause.

"At first, my concern was why Fate would even be working with someone like Agamasaki. Everything that I have heard and seen about the woman indicates that she was radical, and rather unstable. This is not the sort of individual that Fate normally associates with, which made me believe that Fate wasn't working with Agamasaki, but rather using her to his own ends."

"To attempt to overthrow the Kansai Association?" Konoemon pieced together where the discussion was.

"At the very least destabilize the situation enough to throw the Kansai Association into chaos long enough to undermine its influence in Japan." Magnus pointed.

The headmaster thought over the implications of such a statement for a long moment before nodding. "I see how there could be some advantages in that. Such a move would allow for the other Associations within Japan to make a power grab in the ensuing vacuum." He stroked his beard thoughtful, "It's certainly plausible, but the Kanto Association isn't the only one that would necessarily benefit the most from such a move."

"No, but the coincidence of this all happening at the time that you send Negi Springfield on a mission to attempt to ease some of the tensions that had arisen between East and West Associations certainly begs to differ." Magnus countered. "And I became even more convinced that Fate is attempting to maneuver the Kanto Association into something following last night's attack."

"The demon was sent by Fate Averruncus?" Konoemon inquired.

Magnus nodded, "Yes," he looked at the folder that was sitting on the headmaster's desk; it was an exact copy of the folder that had been given to Takamichi earlier that morning. "As your report indicates, following the attack, I had a few words with the demon before he returned back to the Kingdom. In the conversation that I had with him, he disclosed that he had been sent to attack Negi and his friends by Fate. Now why this homunculus was targeting Negi has still yet to be determined, but all I can say is that Fate must see him as a threat to whatever he has planned. And given the fact that I don't see Negi suddenly gallivanting around Japan, it must have something to do with Mahora Academy and the Kanto Association."

It was now Konoemon's turn to remain silent as Magnus finished. The tension in the room had slowly escalated as Magnus explained everything that he had uncovered, and now it seemed all the more disturbing.

"And you trust this information that the demon gave you?" Konoemon asked.

"If for nothing else than the simple coincidence that within two weeks of each other, Fate's name has cropped up in two different incidents, then yes," Magnus shrugged, "Konoemon-sama, I believe that there is a plot being orchestrated around this academy by agents working for Cosmos Entelecheia. This attack won't be an isolated incident, but what can only be the first stage in a plan that is probably going to only escalate in the future."

"And you think that Negi Springfield will be targeted further?"

Magnus did not have an answer for the headmaster, all he had was his own instincts to guide him. "There's a very good chance of this, I cannot deny that."

The headmaster, a man who had sacrificed so much of his life to ensure the safety of the children under his charge could live happily and without worry was now faced with the latest threat to that world he had fought so long to protect. "I would imagine, given what you have told me, that you have some sort of remedy to this situation?"

Magnus nodded as he glanced to Takamichi before returning his gaze back to Konoemon. "Headmaster, I would like to be allowed to remain at Mahora long enough to carry out an investigation and hopefully uncover the conspirators in this plot." He shrugged, "Afterwards…I will be more than willing to leave if you so desire."

Konoemon nodded understandably, "I'm finding it difficult to argue with such a reasonable request, but it still requires me to ask this question: Mathias, what exactly compelled you to come to Mahora Academy in the first place? You've explained why Takamichi-kun asked for you to come to Mahora, and you were all ready on your way here even before you seemed to stumble across this plot, but what was your true reason for coming here?" His eyes narrowed as he peered into Magnus's soul, "You speak of redemption, but exactly how are you attempting to redeem yourself?"

Magnus looked to Takamichi, seeing the man that he had become in the decades since the end of the war, and possibly his only true ally here now that he was at Mahora. Still even in all that time there were things that he had kept from him, kept from so many people. Yet, if he ever hoped to ensure the protection of the things he cherished most, he would have to confide in his real reasons for coming to Japan.

"I'm assuming you know about my great granddaughter, Konoemon-sama?" Magnus asked.

The Headmaster was very still for a moment, his eyes darting to Takamichi who was now staring at Magnus in shock.

"You have a great granddaughter?" He asked surprised.

"Well," Magnus explained with a slight shrugged, "I think she's my great, great, great, great granddaughter if my memory's right, I could be missing a generation here or there for all I know, its difficult to keep the family tree straight after so many years."

Takamichi looked at him perplexed, "I knew you had lived a long time, but I hadn't imagined…"

"Either way," Magnus interrupted steering the conversation back on track, and leveling his gaze upon Konoemon. "I came to see her."

The headmaster was silent for a long time, then nodded his head understandably, "As far as I know, she still doesn't know that you even exist."

"And that's how I would like to keep it." Magnus stated, "My life is too dangerous for her to be dragged into it. But…I still would like to see the sort of girl she has become." Then he looked beyond Konoemon and out the window to witness the majesty of the academic metropolis. "I've been told that this place has been good for her, I would like to do whatever is in my power to ensure that it isn't tainted by Cosmos Entelencheia. If I can do that, then as you say, there might be hope in redemption for me."

The silence that followed lasted for nearly two minutes. Then finally, Konoemon nodded, a smile blossoming on his face. "There is something to be said about the honesty of the soul. I believe in what you say Mathias…or rather I should say Magnus Locke."

Konoemon looked over to Takamichi, "When Takamichi-kun came to me and expressed his interest for you to come to Mahora, I was more than a little concerned. Now that you are here and I have had this conversation with you, I'm still more than concerned, but for different reasons. Takamichi-kun said that you had changed, that your humanity had returned.

"I believe in giving people second chances. Given what you did during the Great War, I believe that I am the least of a great many individuals who should offer you such a chance. You're more than welcome to stay here at Mahora for the duration."

Magnus bowed his head deeply, "Thank you, Konoemon-sama."

"I also think that in the future, you can either call me Konoemon-kun or headmaster, the whole '-sama' honorific coming from you makes me feel especially old."

"I was meaning it to be a term of endearment for your status." Magnus explained deadpan.

"Well, quit it. You're making me feel like I'm an old fart or something, Magnus!" Konoemon chuckled. "Anyway," He said after a moment waving the issue aside. "I'll grant you the resources needed to begin your investigation. As well I will assign you to one of the faculty housing apartments. If that is all right with you?"

Magnus nodded approvingly, "That would be more than generous, Headmaster."

"Also, for me to justify your presence here at the Academy, I will need you sign onto a probationary basis as a counselor or assistant professor."

Magnus frowned, "A counselor or assistant professor?"

"I happen to recall that you're fluent in several languages."

"Twenty-two," Magnus replied somberly his eyes narrowing as he smelled something fishy in the works, "Aside from the five or so languages that I regularly use, the others I'm pretty rusty."

"Well I know that we have some exchange students that could more than benefit from your expertise." Konoemon said with a chuckle.

"What?" Magnus replied.

"And your life makes you especially adept in the fields of European and East Asian history, so we can possibly have you sub in with the history department on an _ad hoc_ basis."

"Huh?" Magnus said the color draining from his face.

"Oh, it won't be that bad." Takamichi said with a chuckle of his own.

Magnus looked at them both surprised, here he was talking about a possibly life-or-death struggle between mages and the dangerous Cosmos Entelencheia and now they were bound determined to have him focused on trivial issues such as "_tutoring_!"

"I think…" Magnus began but was instantly cut off by Konoemon.

"I think that you would work best under the supervision of Professor Negi Springfield. Class 3-A is quite the handful and with midterms coming up there are more than a few of his students that could use the additional assistance."

"You're kidding right?" Magnus replied, the revelation settling that as far as academia was concerned he would now be reporting to a ten-year-old child!

"I'm afraid not."

"Please tell me this doesn't have anything to do about that whole little incident with the tarp pit forty years ago, now is it, Konoemon-kun?"

"Oh," The headmaster's eyes twinkled, "What would ever make you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know, how about the malevolent twinkle in your eye and the fact that you're about to burst out into fits of laughter!"

Konoemon at least didn't immediately burst out laughing, but that didn't do Magnus any good. His fate was sealed in the hierarchy of Mahora Academy's faculty.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Well, all things being equal, that went better than expected," Magnus grumbled as he leaned back in his chair at the Starbooks Coffee café fifteen minutes later.

Takamichi was still chuckling over the revelation that Magnus was going to have to report to Negi about his teaching credentials.

"Oh, laugh if up, four-eyes." Magnus grunted, "Just remember Karma's a bitch!"

"Oh absolutely! Given what just happened to you." He continued to laugh as he sipped at his coffee.

Magnus snorted an insult as he gulped down his sweetened coffee.

After a moment though, Takamichi's expression sobered and his looked across the small café table to Magnus. "But seriously, you got your investigation approved, so what's the next step?"

Magnus shrugged, "Things are looking up that's for certain. But we've got to take this carefully. I really only want us two working on this to begin with."

"That's going to be a little difficult. We're only two people and the city has over a hundred thousand residents."

"Yeah, I know, but to be honest it's going to take us some time to get the lay of the land. Given how Fate had that demon summoned up to attack Negi, I can only imagine whatever they have planning must be something that coming up soon, otherwise they would have waited longer." Magnus frowned, "Normally, I would want to simply work the situation slowly and attempt to vet the proper informants to keep on the eye out, but I don't think we should operate so covertly."

Takamichi looked concerned, "I'm not exactly following."

"They acted rather recklessly coming after Negi so soon after Kyoto…"

"I see where you're coming from. If you're assumptions about Fate plotting something with the Kanto Association is correct, for them to act so hastily really does mean that they're entering into the final phases of their operation."

"Right, which means that if their plans have evolved this far, they won't simply pack up shop and bail out. They're committed, which works well to our advantage in attempting to stop them."

"How's that?" Takamichi asked.

"Simply because all we have to do is keep the pressure on them now that we know what their next step is and it'll send them spiraling out of control."

"Well what do you think their next step is?" Takamichi asked.

"If I was them and they _weren't_ as committed to this operation's kickoff as I suspect them to be?" Magnus gandered, "If someone was onto my activities, I would hang low and simply let them carry out an investigation that would come up empty. Do absolutely nothing that would attract attention to myself or the operation. I'd attempt to bide my time until the headmaster was convinced that whoever was after me was on a wild goose chase and closing him down."

"But you don't think they'll do that?"

Magnus shook his head, "No I don't think they can. They were pretty concerned about Negi. Don't get me wrong, the boy's pretty impressive, but he _is_ just a ten-year-old mage-in-training. My only guess is that there's still more going on here than we realize. Something that Negi or the others witnessed during the Kyoto trip that has Fate thinking of him as a credible threat.

"I think whatever they are planning is something big, and that it's going to happen soon. They can change their plans a little to adapt to the situation, but there is no way that they can simply scrap the whole thing out of hand simply because I've come onto the scene."

"Then what does that leave?"

"Well, the only thing that I can think of is that it leaves me with a giant target on my back." He admitted, "But I think that's really what we need in a situation like this. It'll draw them out and when it does they'll begin to make screw-ups. The more screw-ups they make the better it is to track them. And hopefully, with a little luck on our side, we'll be able to stop them before they can carry out whatever it is that brought them to Mahora in the first place."

"I don't like it." Takamichi countered, "Especially the part about you becoming a target."

Magnus shrugged, "What choice do we have? Unless you can tell me anything more, we're just going to keep coming up empty until they spring their plan. I don't exactly like leaving the initiative to the bad guys here." Then he smiled, "besides, this way we may stumble across more than we bargained for."

"Yeah, like you ending up dead in some alley."

"Hey, the thought crossed my mind, but it's not nearly as disturbing as letting Fate follow through with his plan. Trust me, that guy's got a vicious streak that sent chills down _my_ spine." He sighed, "Anyway, we begin leaking the information about the investigation to the other mages around, it'll work twofold. First they'll realize that we're onto them and, if we're lucky, they'll try and do something stupid. Secondly, it'll have the advantage of getting the intelligence network we need in place a lot quicker than simply attempting to vet reliable agents."

"What about all that talk about operating covertly?" Takamichi pressed.

"That's how I would like to work, but I don't think we can afford to play this safe." Magnus admitted with a sigh. "The whole 'fast and loose' approach isn't normally my style, but I think this might actually work well to our advantage, so long as we don't play it too loosely, that is."

"There's about a dozen mages here at the Academy that I trust absolutely." Takamichi admitted.

"That's good, we'll need them." Magnus said, "And as much as I hate to say it, we'll have to arrange a meeting with them all pretty soon." He paused for a moment, "Can you come up with a list of those you absolutely trust?"

"That shouldn't be a problem, why?" Takamichi asked.

"Well, because I want you to add a couple names on that list of individuals who you _don't_ trust so completely as well."

"What? why?"

Magnus shrugged, "Well, as I've said, we need to get information leaked about this whole investigation don't we, why not start from the beginning. We'll bring the ones that you absolutely trust to begin with, vet them and fill them in completely as to what is going on. Then we'll bring in a few more who we're going to be a bit more discreet about what we inform them of. If we're lucky, that information will eventually fall into the right people's hands and they'll begin to get scared and try and do something stupid."

"That sounds a bit risky, don't you think?" Takamichi asked.

"You're thinking too much like Gateau," Magnus affirmed with a smile, "Certainly not a bad thing, as far as spook work is concerned, he was definitely one of the best in the business. Unfortunately, my guess work is that we've only got anywhere from a few days to a couple of months before they kick off whatever they're planning, that means taking a few liberties with how we operate."

Magnus finished is coffee with a sigh, "Still, first we need are people who we _can_ trust and we most certainly can't take any liberties about vetting them." Then he grinned, "after all, we don't want either of us to end up dead in an alley somewhere, now do we?"

Takamichi somehow didn't find the same sort of humor in that statement as Magnus apparently did. He finished his coffee then looked down at his watch, "I've got a meeting with a student over at the high school here in about fifteen minutes. Afterwards my schedule should be clear up until lunch, I think it might be a good idea if I introduce you to Negi then and begin settling your credentials as a professor here."

Magnus shrugged as he sipped from his own coffee, "that's fine," his expression hardly indicated that he was highly enthused about the prospect but otherwise said nothing.

"Great," Takamichi said standing, "I should be able to have a list for you by tonight. We can discuss what we do then?"

"Yeah," Magnus agreed, although it was clear that his mind had now begun to wonder to other thoughts, losing focus.

Takamichi wasn't one to normally pry, especially about personal matter with someone like Magnus. The two might be friends, but the man had kept things from him and probably for good reason. Still he felt himself willing to press the issue that had been raised during their conversation with the Headmaster. "Thinking about your granddaughter?"

The focus seemed to return to Magnus immediately and he cast a sharp glare at Takamichi for a moment before it softened and he shrugged. "Can't say that I'm not thinking about her a lot since last night."

"Last night?" Takamichi asked.

"She was present at the amphitheatre." Magnus explained, "Doesn't even know that I exist. Although, I can't blame her for that, having me as any sort of blood relative isn't something that going to be easy for anyone to accept."

"I think you're being a little harsh." Takamichi said.

"Perhaps." Magnus admitted with a sigh, then shook his head, "But enough talk about me, you have to get to a meeting right."

Takamichi nodded absently, "You're right, we need to get going."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hei paced the terrace located high above Library Island, his expression sour as he waited for his master to arrive.

The night before had been turbulent to say the least. He was certain that the demon Herrmann would have been able to follow through and take the Springfield child out of the picture. Looking back upon the night, he knew that the demon would have succeeded if it hadn't been for that mage's interference.

That mage and the Springfield boy had both surprised Hei last night as he witnessed the fight unfold before his very eyes. The mage had dealt with Herrmann as if he were some sort of second-rate demon. Then there was the Springfield brat, the potential that he demonstrated during that battle was terrifying.

He had felt a twinge of comfort though when he thought that the kid was about to do himself in after that rampage he had gone through. A part of him wished he knew what had exchanged between the two, perhaps if he had known he could use it to his advantage.

Still, no matter how he looked at it, the demons had failed leaving Negi Springfield and Kagurazaka Asuna still in play, not to mention that there was now a new mage who had entered the picture as well.

Magnus Locke.

He was fortunate that his teacher's aide duties had allowed him to be present during Locke's meeting with the headmaster.

It had become second nature for him to use his master's eavesdropping spells to listen in on all discussions that were taking place with the headmaster and the faculty, but this time he had stumbled across information that was pivotal in their operation.

He had harbored some concerns about the Kyoto operation, but never voiced them for the specific reason that it was happening beyond any means that either he or his master could control. He would have never imagined that the fallout from such an incident would possibly come splashing back onto them.

Yet this Locke mage, he seemed to have picked up on their trail.

He looked down at the small sphere that rested in the palm of his hand. It was little larger than your average marble, but contained within the orb was the details of the entire conversation that had taken place between the Old Man, Takahata and Locke.

The terrace door creaked open, revealing its poor service history. The location was remote, hardly of interest to a majority of the faculty and students who frequented the Library. Most individuals were more interested in delving deeper into the subterranean labyrinths in search of some hidden manuscript that had been lost to history than journey to the rooftop balconies. It was what made these noon rendezvous possible. Hei was merely a university student having a one-on-one discussion with a university professor, nothing out of the ordinary.

Except that that this specific university professor was his _Magister Magi_ and the central figure in the operations being conducted here at Mahora.

A scowl crossed her otherwise beautiful features as she saw Hei, "Well, spit it out, what was so damned important that you had to summon me during my research." She hissed clearly upset. It was understandable, he knew. They had spent so much time maintaining their covers that any sort of spontaneous contact could arouse suspicion. Especially since it appeared that their operations were no longer as covert as they had originally hoped.

Hei merely held out the memory orb for his master's inspection. "This contains a conversation that I recorded earlier this morning between the headmaster, Takahata and the mage who interfered in the fight between the demon and Springfield last night."

His master took the orb and then looked around the terrace. She quickly invoked a privacy barrier to prevent anyone from stumbling in upon them. Instead, if anyone decided that they wanted to journey to the terrace, they would suddenly be compelled into remembering something more pressing needed to be done and journey away. The spell would also prevent anyone from eavesdropping on what the two were discussing, something that Old Man Konoe should have considered before meeting with those two individuals.

Knowing that the barrier was fully in place, she activated the orb. Placing it on the ground, she watched as the recording materialized above it and began playing.

The conversation was surprisingly short, but detailed. This man that Konoe called both "Mathias" as well as "Magnus Locke" was someone who knew a bit too much about their operation. His apparent connections with _Ala Rubra_ and involvement in the Great War were also informative, but did little else to give her any specific insight into the man's identity. His names were most likely alias, and given the remarks about an incident involving Konoe and this "Magnus" hinted that his appearance was most like an illusion.

Physical illusions like that were pretty high-level magic, but that only reinforced her opinion of his abilities. Especially, given Hei's report of what this man had done at the Mahora University Amphitheatre the night before, she knew that it was probably best not to underestimate this man.

No matter how she spun it though, this man was dangerous, and he would remain so until she discovered who he was specifically.

The footage dissolved as the memory orb ended, leaving her with more questions than answers.

"Well," She said as she began to rub her chin slowly, "At the very least, we now have a face and a name to go with our mysterious interloper from last night."

"I'm guessing though that his name is probably a fake." Hei commented.

"I know it's an alias, so is his physical appearance." She shot back angrily, "but we know who this individual is posing as here, which gives us an advantage." She shook her head and then smiled at her Minister Magi, "You did well to notify me about this as quickly as you did, thank you Hei."

He bowed his head deeply, "It is my place to serve, my master."

"Now it's just a matter of what do we do about our new friend?" She pondered as she paced around the terrace.

"Would you like for me to deal with him, my master?" Hei offered.

"No," She said softly, "Until Fate-sama learns about these new developments, we do absolutely nothing to spur suspicion. Although I would like for you to do is observe him." She instructed, "find out who he speaks with and where he lives, but don't allow yourself to be discovered."

"Of course, my master." He bowed his head deeply.

"All right," She said as she turned and headed towards the terrace door, she paused momentarily and looked back at her _Minister Magi_. "Good work, Hei." Then she was gone.

Hei nodded once more, feeling slightly restored at his master's gratitude. Unfortunately, that feeling of well being soon vanished as his thoughts turned to his new assignment. He understood his master's wish for Fate-sama to be kept in the loop, but it would be so much easier if he were to simply kill this mage and for them to continue onward with their plans.

But he would respect his master's decisions.

He waited fifteen minutes to give his master enough of a head start before he left the terrace so as not to raise any suspicions. Though, he doubted that their meeting here would do little to raise anyone's attention to their activities. After all, he was just another student meeting with a professor, there was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary about that.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

The yawn that escaped Negi's lips as he entered the teacher's lounge was just another reminder of the long night that he had survived. Still, even with the fatigue and stiffness that his body agonized over, he was just grateful that everyone else had come through the whole incident safe.

Even Kotaro's condition hadn't been that bad once they had the chance to look him over. The demon's attack on him had merely knocked him out, Chizuru thought that he had a concussion but otherwise would be all right with a little rest.

Konoka had used her artifact to heal as many of the wounds on Negi and Kotaro as she could which had helped tremendously as everyone made the journey back to the dormitory.

He had hoped that everyone would simply go their respective ways and just try to sleep the night away. There was little chance of that happening though as the girls sat down and wanted to discuss in detail what had happened.

Negi had tried to bow out of the conversation, but being the resident Mage of the group, he had quickly been dragged right back into the discussion. It was a discussion though that he had very few answers to give.

He felt guilty for involving them all in what appeared to be nothing more than a personal feud that the demon had picked against him.

The girls seemed unusually keen as he attempted to explain that aspect of his life to them, something that he had planned to do earlier while they had been at Evangeline's resort, but somehow he seemed reclusive to share his past with the others.

Ayaka had been taken to her room where she continued to sleep off the effects of Herrmann's sedative spell. Negi had been tempted to counteract the spell, but knew that all that would happen was that she would catch a little more sleep than was usual, something that wasn't necessary a bad thing for the always dedicated class representative.

The most awkward part had been attempting to explain to Natsumi and Chizuru the whole situation. It wasn't until Kotaro managed to muffle in about some problems that he had had with his family back in Kyoto that the two girls seemed to piece together their own facsimile of what must have happened.

It has also reinforced Chizuru's decision that Kotaro must absolutely stay with them.

Negi wasn't certain if that was something that should be allowed. With Kotaro living with the girls, their chances of getting mixed up in another incident like this greatly increased. Negi had attempted to convince Kotaro's new "guardians" of the dangers, but the expression that Chizuru gave Negi instantly relayed to him that the decision was moot.

Everyone had stayed up well into the night, not something that had been especially beneficial for everyone. Unfortunately Negi, despite himself, had been especially drained following the fight with the demon. He was willing to admit that his abilities had greatly increased since Kyoto, but it only came to a point and he knew he had surpassed it last night.

His alarm hadn't even been enough to stir him the following morning. Only Asuna throwing him out of bed had finally woken him to the reality that they were running late for classes. Asuna, Konoka and him had just barely made it to class on time, and they were the last of the class to make it in before the bell rang. The only person who had been involved in Herrmann's escapades that was remotely focused for class had been Ayaka, reinforcing Negi's decision that letting the class representative sleep off the effects of the spell had been good for her.

The morning had seemed to last forever though, but thankfully it was over and now Negi could look forward to lunch. He hoped that getting some food into his system would rejuvenate him so that he could survive the waning hours of the school day.

Except, that he was supposed to do an after school study session with Asuna, Kaede, Makie, Yue and Ku Fei in preparation for the midterms next week.

He hung his head in defeat knowing that he would most likely have another five or six hours to look forward to before he could ever hope to take a break.

His head snapped up as he realized that he would also have to go to Evangeline's Resort for training too! Considering that she had let him get some rest before their practice yesterday, he wasn't about to think that he was going to be entitled to the same luxury today.

It was going to be a dreadfully long day… he concluded miserably.

"Ah, there you are Negi-kun!" A familiar voice said from the entrance to the Teacher's Lounge.

Negi looked up to see Takamichi entering followed closely by a man whom Negi didn't recognize. "Ah, Takamichi-sensei, it's good to see you."

"Same to you," The older man said as he walked up to Negi, peering intently at the young boy, "You seem worn out again today," He observed, "you haven't been pushing yourself too hard again have you?"

_If only he knew!_ Negi thought feeling a chill run down his spine. He shook his head absently, "No not at all." He lied, hoping that the other man wouldn't press him on the issue.

"Well," Takamichi said with a smile, "I'd like to introduce you to someone." He turned to the man standing beside him. "Negi Springfield, this is Magnus Locke. He's the friend of mine that I told you about last night. He'll be working here at Mahora Academy as a councilor and tutor for the time being."

The man walked forward extending a gloved hand. Negi looked at the offered hand, momentarily surprised at the western-style greeting. _I've really gotten used to living here in Japan, haven't I?_ Negi realized as he took the offered hand after a moment's hesitation.

"Looks like you and I are going to be working pretty closely for the next couple of weeks Negi-sensei," Magnus said with a smile.

_His voice sounds familiar_, Negi thought, his expression perplexed. "I'm sorry?"

"Apparently, the Headmaster feels that Magnus-sensei needs a little supervision, as he gets adjusted here at Mahora, and thinks that you'd be the perfect person to help him get settled into his duties."

It was the particular way that Takamichi said "supervision" that drew a dark look from Magnus, but he seemed unfazed by the expression.

"Well," Negi said slightly lost, "I'm not really certain how it is that I could help?"

"Well," Magnus said looking over to Takamichi, "I think what Takamichi-kun and the Headmaster want is for someone to keep tabs on me as I get adjusted to teaching again." He explained, "I'm afraid I've been out of circulation for quite some time and will probably be a little rusty."

"Really?" Negi asked, as he gave the man a quick once over. He didn't look to be much older than his mid-twenties if Negi had to venture a guess, he couldn't be a day over thirty on the outside, what did he mean by "out of circulation?"

"Anyway," Takamichi said as he checked his watch, "It looks like I have another appointment that I have to keep. How about I leave the two of you to get acquainted and I'll catch back up with you later."

"Um, sure." Negi said as the other man made a hasty retreat. He looked over to Magnus Locke who was slowly glowering in the direction that Takamichi had just left. _Are they really friends?_ Negi wondered given the expression on the man's face, he was having his doubts.

After a moment, Magnus looked back at the young boy before him and offered a lopsided smile, "Well, I was hoping that Takamichi-sensei would be sticking around a little longer than that, sorry to get suddenly dumped into your lap like this."

"Uh, it's not problem, Locke-sensei." Negi quickly replied, although he wasn't exactly certain what he should do.

"Well, I guess its lunch time," he stated, "I don't suppose you know of any good cafés where we can get something to eat near school do you?"

"Um, cafés?" Negi shook his head, "I normally eat at the cafeteria here on campus." He explained.

He never skipped a beat, "Well, I guess it's the cafeteria then."

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

It was strange, Negi thought as he stared at the man sitting across from him as they ate their lunch in one of the cafeteria tables. It was moments like this that he realized that in the months since he had been at Mahora, he hadn't really had the opportunity to have many lunches with any of the other faculty. Certainly there were those moments where he ate with Takamichi, or Shizura-sensei and had those brief lunches to interact with the other faculty. Unfortunately by and large, far too many of them continued to see him as a little kid, not a peer. More often than not, he would normally spend his lunches eating with some of the girls from his homeroom.

Which was why Negi suddenly realized that his ability to open a dialogue with someone like Magnus Locke was proving to be so difficult. All he knew about the man sitting across from him was that he was friend of Takamichi, and that seemed somewhat dubious after their interactions.

As the silence lingered as the two ate their meals, Negi was silently wishing that someone like Asuna or Konoka were eating with them. Those two were seemed to approach strangers so easily.

"I understand that mid-terms are approaching pretty soon." Magnus said after a long moment, finally breaking the tension.

"Um, yes, they're this coming Friday." Negi replied earnestly, glad that the silence had been broken. "Takamichi-san mentioned that you were a tutor?"

"So it seems." Magnus said with a sigh, "Can't say that I know exactly what I can offer to your students though. Takamichi-kun informed me that there were a few of your students who were struggling in their studies and that I might be of assistance to them."

"Well, there are a few students who seem to have difficulties when it comes to English, I usually offer after school study sessions for them. Since today's Saturday, I was planning on pulling a longer than usual session to help prepare for the midterms next week."

"Sounds like an excellent plan." Magnus said with a grin as he drank from the canned coffee that he had picked up. "I don't suppose you'd care if I help out do you?"

"Not at all." Negi said enthusiastically, "actually having two tutors for the five students might actually be better…" He paused momentarily, "Um, if you'll excuse me for asking Locke-sensei, but what exactly is your specialty anyways?"

"Necromancy." He said offhandedly.

"What!" Negi said, his eyes widening.

"Just kidding, boy you're gullible." Magnus said with a chuckle. "Actually, I'm pretty well rounded when it comes to academics, but I suppose if I had to say anything that I had a knack for it would be languages."

"Oh, ah well, that was just well…" Negi seemed at a loss of words. Had Magnus actually been joking, he wondered, after all he was a friend of Takamichi so there was the possibility that he might actually be wizard. But if that were the case, necromancy was a form of the dark arts, something that no honest magus would practice, now would they? "I'm sorry Locke-sensei, that joke just sort of caught me by surprise that's all."

Magnus shrugged, "I guess that's something I should warn you about then, I've been told that I have a peculiar sense of humor. I hadn't expected to get that sort of reaction out of you with just a simple joke."

"I see…" Negi said, letting his gaze fall upon his half-eaten lunch feeling slightly abashed. His thoughts once again turning to the notion that perhaps Magnus wasn't someone from the magic world, that he might just be a simple acquaintance that Takamichi had met during his time as a teacher.

"You're from England aren't you?" Magnus said after a moment, causing Negi to look back up at the man with a quizzical look. "It's your accent with your Japanese." Magnus explained, "It's hardly noticeable, but there are some syllables that you stress that come out a bit harder than that of a native speaker. Given the accentuation you place on those syllables, it normally indicates that your native language was English…if I had to venture a guess, I would say Welsh English to be exact."

Despite himself, Negi gawked at the man in awe. "That's amazing, Locke-sensei. You could pick that up just from our conversation?"

Magnus shrugged, "Like I said, I have a talent with languages that's all."

"I wish I could have such an ear for languages." Negi admitted, "It took me nearly three weeks to learn Japanese in preparation for my teaching assignment here, and there are times that I still struggle with some of the words."

The other man laughed at that statement. "Don't sell yourself short Springfield-sensei. Trust me if I could learn a language as quickly as that, I would more than be happy. Hell, at your age I could hardly read or write, let alone speak any other language than my own." He shook his head, "All the languages that I've learned have been the hard way, and believe me it took me more than three weeks to become fluent in any of them."

Negi perked up slightly from that revelation. "Um, if you don't mind me asking though, Locke-sensei, how many languages do you know?"

"Well, I'm proficient in twenty-two languages but there're about five that I'm fluent in: English, Japanese, German, Mandarin and…" His voice trailed off as he counted off fingers of the languages, pausing momentarily as he was about to lift his thumb for the fifth language. He chuckled absently, "Well, I guess I should just say that I'm fluent in four major languages at least." He said whimsically.

"What was the fifth language?" Negi asked without thinking.

Magnus merely shrugged, "Oh, it's not much," he said shaking his head, "It's an ancient language that I mastered long ago, although I don't get much opportunity to speak it these days."

"What's it called?" Negi persisted.

Magnus looked at the child for a long moment, as if debating whether or not to continue this conversation. After a moment he shrugged, "It's known as the Tongue of the Ancients." He explained, watching the child's reaction very carefully.

Negi looked at him perplexed, "I've never heard of that language before, what region is it native to?"

"No region anymore." Magnus explained simply, "I guess if you really had to look into it; it carries some roots with ancient Latin, but by and large it's a dead language."

"Then how did you become fluent in it?" Negi asked.

"Really, I just stumbled across it long ago when I was traveling through Europe. Like I said, I have an affinity to languages. When I discovered it I dove right into it and learned everything I could about the language and the culture that developed it. Sadly to say though, the culture isn't around anymore." He stated.

"I see." Negi said appearing somewhat downtrodden by that revelation, but he seemed to bounce back almost immediately. "I don't suppose you could tell me something in that language though."

Magnus's gaze narrowed instantly, and Negi suddenly felt as if he had asked too much. He was about to apologize when the other man spoke.

"_Ehsro sum agk quod Ehsro vilhali vhos haud vulknehro._" His said casually, the words flowing fluidly and with ease despite the strange, guttural sounds of the language.

Negi looked at the man in surprise as he spoke. It was a language unlike anything he had ever heard from anywhere in Europe. But he also detected some familiarity in the language too. He might not be as perceptive at languages as Mangus might be, but he could certainly detect some words that seemed familiar, particularly from last night. The word "_Ehsro_" was one in particular that stood out. Still, he covered his surprise as quickly as he could.

"What does that mean?" Negi asked quickly.

"'I am your friend and I mean you no harm.'" Magnus stated, using his chopsticks to scoop some rice into his mouth. After he had swallowed the contents he looked back at the young boy. "It's a strange language, but from what I learned was that it was a common greeting amongst those who used the Tongue of the Ancients."

"And who were the people who used this language." Negi pressed, knowing that he should perhaps back down, but the small voice in the back of his head was getting the better of him and allowing him to indulge in his curiosity.

"Long dead now, at least the originators of the language are, I should say." Magnus clarified, "There a still a few groups of people who use this language, which is how I stumbled across it, but by and large it's been forgotten to history." He shrugged, "In my travels throughout Europe, I stumbled into something a little over my head, and before I knew it I was staying in one of these communities that still spoke the Tongue of the Ancients. Some of the inhabitants were fluent in other languages, like German or English, but on a very basic level. It took me about eight months to actually master the language, and from there on out it's just stuck with me."

"I see." Negi replied casually. He didn't know why, but something about the story wasn't adding up and the little voice in the back of his mind wanted to continue prying about that. He wanted to say for certain that what Magnus had just spoken in this "Tongue of the Ancients" had been the same language that Graf Herrmann and that mage from last night had spoken. He knew he shouldn't have pried but it was the odd language that the two had spoken that seemed to carry across the amphitheatre.

Was Magnus Locke the mage from last night? Or worse yet was he perhaps another demon?

Thoughts continued to spill through his mind as he attempted to tackle the problem at hand. His mind raced through numerous scenarios and variations of this problem, and apart of him was suddenly fearful about the fact that they were dining in the cafeteria where other students were present. Had he inadvertently placed them in danger because he had wanted to eat here? Was that why Magnus had wanted them to eat at one of the cafes away from campus?

It took him a moment to realize that Magnus was staring at him.

"Something the matter, Springfield-sensei?" He asked curiously.

"Oh, it's nothing, Locke-sensei, and please you can call me Negi if you'd like, I know that 'Springfield-sensei' can be a bit of a mouthful at times."

"I think I can do that, but if that's the case, you can call me Magnus." He offered, apparently oblivious to the mental tug-of-war that was playing through the young boy's mind.

Negi seemed to mull that request over for a moment, causing the man sitting across from him to stare at him bemused. "Um, do I have something on my face?" Negi asked.

Magnus merely smiled, "Oh, I was just noticing that you think quite a bit before you speak don't you?"

Negi looked at him incredulously, not certain how to take that as either a compliment or an insult.

"See, you're doing it again." Magnus pointed out.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all, actually it's quite remarkable for someone your age."

There it was again, 'his age' it never seemed to be far from many adult's mind. He was just a child in the world's eyes. Certainly he knew that he _was_ ten-years-old, but that didn't mean that he didn't know how to handle himself. Why was it that adults could never look beyond his age?

"It's quite extraordinary really." Magnus said taking another bite of his meal.

"How so?" Negi asked.

"Well, I was just remembering someone that you reminded me of, that's all."

"Really, someone like me?" Negi asked.

"Well, yes and no." Magnus stated. "On the one hand, he was just as remarkable as you, a real child prodigy. In fact, when I first had the opportunity to meet him he was barely fourteen years old and had already established a name for himself. At first I was a little skeptical, thinking that much of this talk was merely hype probably bolstered by the kid's friends. That was until I actually met him face-to-face.

"I have to say that this young man left quite the impression upon me. I mean, here I was, believing myself to be very well versed in the ways of life, and then there was this kid, so cocksure and arrogant that I thought he could be nothing more than a fool."

Magnus chuckled as he saw Negi's expression change from one of interest to puzzlement, but he continued. "I'll tell you what though; all it took was one encounter with this young kid, just one, for me to throw my whole perspective of the world into question. His personality was just that impressive, and the more I reflect upon it, I think it was because of this kid's youth, and his perspective because from that youth that truly made me realize that I was missing something on my age."

He shook his head, "I see a lot of that young man in you, Negi-sensei, but at the same time I can also see that you're someone entirely different. This other boy, the last thing he would ever have done would be to think before he threw himself at a problem, be it trivial or life threatening it really didn't matter to him. All that really mattered to him was that it was a confrontation. It was as if he lived for those moments to truly feel alive." He shrugged as he looked down at his half-finished lunch, "It's almost as if he felt most alive when he was being challenged by something. It was quite a remarkable spectacle to witness to be honest."

Magnus finished one last bite of his meal and smiled towards Negi, "he was the sort of individual who was willing to let things play out and see where they ended. If he felt that they weren't going in the right direction, he was never shy at imposing his own will to try and change things either."

Magnus sighed as he leaned back in his chair, "To be honest, I can't fathom exactly why that little story suddenly popped into my head, perhaps it's just I see so much of that young man in you Negi-sensei. You appear focused and driven with that same sort of reckless abandon, but at the same time, you're also very analytical, trying to figure out how best way to ask a question without being insulting." Magnus leaned forward placing his elbows on the table and resting his chin on his hands. "So I have to wonder, Negi-sensei, what is it that you want to ask me that seems to be distracting you so?"

Negi looked at the man surprised. If he was going to be given an opening, now was the best time as any. Still, the outcome of that question could very well jeopardize everyone else who was in the cafeteria.

No, he realized, he had to trust his instincts, had to trust that Takamichi—or the Headmaster—would have allowed someone as dangerous as a demon to so casually waltz into the school. He was being paranoid, probably a side-effect from last night and his current exhaustion.

Still, the question nagged at him…

He nodded once, assuring himself that there was no harm in at least asking the question.

"Magnus-sensei," Negi said looking into the man's emerald eyes, "Are you a wizard?"

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

The kid was sharper than Magnus initially assumed, that was certainly something he _hadn't_ gotten from his father, certainly it was his mother's influence, he was positive of that.

Still, he had to give the kid some credit the kid had picked up on the details rather quickly, not that Magnus wasn't to blame for dropping some hints and clues to determine just how perceptive the young magus was.

Still, now that the question had been proposed, how exactly should he handle it? He was content to test Negi to see just how mature he actually was, and as he had just said the kid was indeed very analytical.

It was just a matter of whether or not it would be right to involve him in his plans. As much as he was indebted to Eishun that he had sworn to look after Konoka, Magnus owed just as much debt to Nagi. Would the Thousand Master approve of allowing his son to begin dealing with the threats that the real world had to offer?

Well, Magnus concluded rather quickly that that was a no-brainer. Nagi would have probably had Negi blasting demons at a much younger age than ten if he so chose and that was Nagi's right as a father to this young boy.

But Magnus wasn't Nagi, and he didn't have a right to involve this boy. He knew both from his encounter with Negi last night and the brief conversation that the two have had that just telling the boy about what sort of threats were looming before this city he would instantly volunteer even before he had a grasp of the entire picture. It was in that regard that Negi was exactly like Nagi.

It was because of that Magnus could not involve this boy in his plans just yet. Perhaps once he had a firm grasp of the dangers and knew who all the players were that Magnus might change his mind. But that would be on his terms, and his terms alone.

Magnus cracked a smile, a smile that suddenly blossomed into uncontrollable laughter. He made no attempt to hide his euphoria, drawing stares from students who looked at him peculiarly.

Negi looked around, flushing from the attention, as Magnus brought his mirth under control.

"A wizard you say?" Magnus said with a beaming grin. "I have to say; I've been called quite a few things in my lifetime, but that one's new." He said. "I take it that you have just as peculiar a sense of humor as I do?"

Negi though, wasn't willing to back down. He could see that the other girls in the cafeteria had begun resuming their meals, thinking that the boy teacher must have just delivered some sort of hilarious punch line, but otherwise were willing to let the matter rest. Looking back at the other man, Negi lowered his voice so that only the two of them would hear. "I'm serious, Magnus-sensei. Are you a wizard?"

"I wish I were." Magnus said in an equally low voice. "Unfortunately, I'm just your average instructor, visiting from Sanbalya looking for a teaching job to hold me over until something more interesting catches my eye. The Headmaster has approved my credentials here at Mahora Academy and has instructed me to help you in preparing for the mid-terms so that your students are best prepared for what is to come." He smiled humorously, "trust me, if I were a wizard, I think I could do a few more interesting things than limit myself to merely tutor junior high students wouldn't you think."

Magnus could see the gears working behind Negi's eyes, could see that the boy didn't believe a word of what he was saying. _He's skeptical. That's very, very good_. He thought. He didn't much care for lying to the young lad, but now was not the time to get him mixed up in things that Magnus couldn't protect him from.

The boy teacher seemed to want to press the issue, but instead shook his head, signifying that the issue was tabled for the time being. "All right, Magnus-sensei, if you're here to help my students prepare for their midterms, the extra tutoring sessions that I'm offering will begin right after the end of the school day, please meet me at Room Three-A."

"Sounds splendid." Magnus said with a genuine smile as he stood up and bussed the remains of his lunch. "I'll see you there, Negi-sensei."

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

Negi smiled happily to the students as the bell rung and class 3-A stood and bowed at the conclusion to his lesson. Within moments, the class quickly began dispersing. Many of the students journeying to their after school clubs, while some remained to tidy up the class room before they departed.

But there were five students who remained for an entirely different reason. Colloquially those five students had been endowed as the "Baka Rangers" of Class 3-A. Personally, Negi did not much care for the term and unfortunately, try as he might, the term continued to linger upon those five students.

Negi would never call any of the five girls dumb. All of them were exceptionally intelligent, if somewhat unmotivated or unfocused. Considering the sort of activities Class 3-A seemed to continue to find itself caught up in, Negi could more than understand where basic studies might seem somewhat underwhelming. But that was still no excuse, because everything, they—and especially he—had a responsibility to make certain that they developed the necessary skills for them to succeed in the real world.

Sasaki Makie or Baka Pink, as Negi had learned so recently, was kindhearted and sincere as well as a phenomenal gymnast, but she did tend to ruminate on her extracurricular and social activities more often than not, which had shown in her studies. Her grades continue to waft towards the lower ranks, and she wasn't alone in that regard.

Baka Blue, more formally known as Nagase Kaede was yet another exceptional young girl, whose extracurricular activities seemed to dominate more of her time and mental focus than even Makie seemed to suffer. Although, to be perfectly honest, Negi could sympathize, after all the single day that he had spent with Kaede in the mountains shortly after he had arrived certainly gave him an impressive appreciation and interest for studying ninjitsu. Negi just wished that she would apply the same focus and dedication to her focus as well.

Then there was Ayase Yue known as Baka Black, and there was absolutely no doubt in Negi's mind whatsoever that she wasn't an exceptionally gifted student. Her ability to understand and develop her own magical prowess solely by the few short weeks since she had learned the existence of magic was a testimony to her talents. Unfortunately, like the others she too felt that studies were somewhat less than appealing in comparison.

Then there was Asuna, the infamous Baka Red. Negi sometimes wondered if perhaps failing to keep his secret from her had somehow burdened her into being distracted from her own studies. Takamichi had told him that Asuna had always struggled with school work, and Negi himself had firsthand experience seeing her struggle with her studies. It was just so strange, after all, she had so much potential, and there was certainly no lack of energy where she was concerned. In all honesty, even after all of this time he still couldn't track down what it was that seemed to make her struggle so much.

Finally there was Ku Fei or Baka Yellow, and more than anything Negi had learned that the difficulties surrounding his Chinese student's poor grades was not focus or determination, but her struggle in understanding not just Japanese, but the English he was teaching as well. It seemed exceptional that Ku Fei understood her written and spoken Japanese as well as she did, and while she struggled considerably with the English he had seen considerable improvement over the last semester.

While all five of them might struggle to build their grades to those of the rest of the class, there was never a doubt that they weren't determined to succeed at the current challenged presented to them. They might not be all that enthusiastic about the subject matter, but they were making the effort.

A knock on the door jamb drew Negi's attention back to reality as he looked over to see the tall redheaded man standing there. His presence did not go unnoticed from the remaining students either who stared at the man in surprise and curiosity.

"I'm not late am I?" Magnus Locke asked as he entered the classroom.

"No, actually you're right on time Locke-sensei." Negi said mentally kick himself for allowing a very slight trace of hesitation enter his tone. He glanced away quickly, hoping that it wasn't noticed. Just one glance over to Asuna, whose expression was narrowing dangerously as she glanced quickly between Negi and newcomer, proved that he had failed at concealing his concern.

Magnus though, seemed hardly fazed about Negi's tone. He strolled right in, "Glad to here." Once in the classroom he surveyed the surroundings casually, glancing at each of the students present. "I suppose introductions are in order." Magnus pressed, flashing a friendly smile.

"Um, yes, they are." Negi said, reigning in his emotions far better than before. "Girls, I would like to introduce Magnus Locke, he'll be helping us in preparation for the mid-terms."

The five girls quickly moved forward, giving the new teacher a once over. Negi could not help but notice just how differently the girls behaved towards Magnus than they had when he first arrived at the school. Remembering that day, so many months ago, he was surprised he had survived the encountered. If it wasn't being smothered by the interest of the thirty girls of class 3-A, then it was attempting to survive the ire of Asuna after their unfortunate introductions.

He found himself staring at the redheaded girl, standing at the back of the growing crowd, eyeing the new teacher carefully. Negi might not have made the greatest first impression with the older girl, but in the end, he was grateful to have met Asuna.

Still, as the girls began their introductions, Negi could not help but envy the older man. After all, the girls were not attempting to pummel him with questions, fawning over him about being so adorable, employ some sort of prank or outright attack him.

Magnus offered a warm smile as the girl introduced themselves to him, bowing respectfully. He was surprised that so many of the girls who had been involved in the last night incident had come from Negi's classroom, but he supposed it was only natural. If anyone was to learn about his secret, it most probably would have to be those who dealt with him on a semi-regular basis.

Then Kagurazaka Asuna stepped forth, and Magnus was forced to restrain his smile to be anything more than professionally friendly. _She's grown so much. _He thought tenderly as she introduced herself and bowed deeply. Despite himself Magnus couldn't help but think back to that summer ten years earlier when he had been able to finally act on his original promise to her, to allow her to step into the world of light and bathe in happiness.

"A pleasure to meet you as well Kagurazaka-san," Magnus said as the introduction wrapped up and the girls hovered between the two teachers, unconsciously willing Negi to begin the study session.

"Well girls," Negi began after a moment's thought. "We'll start off like we usually do, with a quiz to figure out where you're struggling. Then Locke-sensei and I will work with you on your weaknesses." The girls seemed content with that arrangement and Magnus nodded in agreement. After all, he was effectively nothing more than an assistant in this interplay, meant to be used however the young teacher saw fit.

As the girls finished their quizzes and handed them in, Negi passed two of the papers to Magnus to grade. He gave the names a quick glance: Ayase Yue and Ku Fei. He spared a glance at the two girls who were staring intently at the teachers as they graded the assignments.

"We're working from the Fourth Edition of _Neo Horizon_." Negi told the new tutor. "Specifically we've been working on Chapter Seven pertaining to homophones."

"I can see that." Magnus said with a smirk as he glanced over the questions, "I can also see that we have a lot to work on." He said staring at the five students again. There was a glint in his eyes that left them shuffling about nervously as he resumed grading the quizzes.

"They're not that bad." Negi said, finishing his grading of Asune, Makie and Kaede's papers. Then seeing how Magnus wad doing on the assignment. The tutor was leaning back in his chair, chewing on the tip of his pen as he stared at the papers before them. They were littered with red ink, and his expression was intent. "Well maybe they're struggling a bit."

Magnus shook his head, "No, it's not a problem." Magnus said softly looking towards the two girls whose papers he held. "You want me to work with Ayase-san and Fei-san then?"

"If you would, please." Negi asked.

"Not a problem." Magnus said, and Negi heard a slight change in the man's voice, there was an edge in it now that sent a spike of fear down his spine.

Why was it that Negi could battle demons without any fear in the world, but the moment it came to a new professor working with his students he suddenly got the shakes? Was it because he hadn't had the opportunity to fully explore just how proficient Magnus was with languages? The last thing he wanted was to allow a tutor to lead his students astray by improperly teaching them the lessons, and with midterms so close it would be difficult to repair the damage…

As it turned out though, Negi soon discovered that his concerns were unfounded. As the older man quickly began working with Yue and Ku, discussing the intricacies of homophones in the English language, specifically the use of "They're, there and their." What's more, Magnus managed to explain the grammatical nuances in each of the girl's native language.

Negi couldn't help but feel a stab if envy strike within him as Ku Fei's eyes widened in understanding as she finally grasped the concept that Magnus was explaining to her, made all possible by the tutor's understanding of Mandarin. The young teacher was soon beginning to wonder that if he had attempted to become proficient in Chinese languages as he had in Japanese that perhaps he would have been able to better help the older girl in her language struggles.

That envy only redoubled as Yue nodded in understanding as well, as Magnus explained the English language concepts while switching from Mandarin and Japanese almost flawlessly. It allowed him to provide equal attention to both girls in their native languages, which allowed them to grasp the foreign concepts much easier. What's more, the proficiency of Magnus's own grasp of the languages left Negi quickly scribbling notes for him to perhaps employ during class. The older man simply had a different perspective than the one that Negi had originally imagined, and in hindsight seemed almost painfully obvious.

More than anything, what really struck Negi was the reality that the girls' demeanor towards Magnus was far more professional than the one that he shared with them. He knew that it seemed silly, after all, these girls had just met Magnus not an hour earlier, and as such they maintained the professional distance that naturally existed between a student and a teacher. It was a relationship that Magnus seemed to understand and utilize like a natural because the girls identified and respected that relationship.

It was a relationship that Negi had never been able to assert with his students. That left him with some mixed feelings. One part was envious of Magnus; because what he was doing was exactly the sort of relationship that Negi had always envisioned having with his students. At the same time though, he also recognized the limitations of that relationship. Had Negi distanced himself from his students, he would never have formed the friendships that he now cherished so strongly…

"Negi, are you okay?" Asuna leaned forward, breaking Negi's attention from the other tutor.

"Um, I'm sorry, Asuna what did you say?" He said momentarily shaken.

"Um, you've been staring off into space for the last couple of minutes." She said quietly, despite the fact that both Makie and Kaede were both staring at him intently.

"Oh, I'm very sorry about that…I was just thinking."

Asuna glanced over to the new teacher then back at Negi, "Yeah, we can see that. Are you okay?"

"Oh, it's nothing." He reassured, "Just I hadn't really had the chance to appreciate Locke-sensei's insight about the topic matter that's all."

"Um, okay." Asuna said, disinterested either way. "Well, I still don't understand the differences with this word." She said, pointing to the word "rose."

"Oh," Negi said, staring at the word, "Well, the important thing to remember is when homophones are concerned, the context that they are used is what makes the meaning of the word so important. In the case of rose, it can mean either the flower, or the past tense of rise…" he continued to explain, grateful for Asuna's question, it allowed him to become lost in his teaching and staying focused on what absolutely mattered during the study session.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

The sun was beginning its descent when Negi finally felt the need to bring the tutoring session to a close. The give girls nodded gratefully at their teacher's mercifulness, as all of them were left stunned and exhausted.

Magnus managed to lean back as he watched the girls' demeanor. Yue and Ku had both come quite far in understanding the eccentricities that they were going to have to master if they were to pass the coming midterms, but languages were not their strong suit and in the end they were left fumbling around the words as the afternoon bit into their enthusiasm.

All of the girls bowed gratefully that the torture of the entire process was now at a close and they began packing up the books that they would need for studying in their rooms over the weekend.

"Finally done?" A voice came from the doorway, causing all of the occupants to turn.

"Yeah," Asuna breathed heavily smiling as Konoka entered the classroom, Setsuna two paces behind her. "I'm beat."

Miyazaki Nodoka and Saotome Haruna also followed in after them, obviously waiting for Yue to finish up as well. All four of the new girls though came to a halt as they saw the new teacher in the room.

Negi offered a warm smile to the girls, "Um, girls, I'd like to introduce Magnus Locke, he's a new counselor here at the school. He's also working as a tutor if anyone needs help." The study session had proved itself to be quite telling about Magnus's tutoring abilities.

Magnus stood and walked towards the girls. He offered a warm smile to them all. The girls introduced them in quick order, and Magnus nodded pleasantly to each of them. Miyazaki and Saotome each gave him quick introductions, and his impressions of them were somewhat tenuous. He remembered seeing Miyazaki from the night before, so he knew that she was one of the members of Negi's inner circle of friends who knew of his ability. The Saotome girl though, he suspected might be oblivious, but there was no way to tell.

After they gave their introductions, they quickly swarmed towards Yue, leaving Magnus to be introduced to Konoka and Setsuna. Again, Magnus was forced to stifle the urge to offer anything more than a professional smile to the girls, both of whom he had known since they were born.

Konoe Konoka had always been a sweet and energetic girl, with a doting and loving father, and it showed as she introduced herself to him.

Then there was Setsuna, and Magnus felt his heart almost stop in his chest as he stared into those brown eyes of hers, a pang of guilt washing over him as he met her once again. From everything that Eishun had told him, she had grown up happy, made all the more possible with Konoka in her life. He was not about to ruin it by intruding into her life once again. He was just a casual observer, a stranger in this girl's life, and if he could help it he would remains so.

_She doesn't know who you are._ A voice snarled in the back of his mind, _And if you want to let her continue living happily you'll remember that you fool! _

"It's a pleasure to meet both of you." Magnus said after a momentary pause, bowing to both of the girls, then smiling. "Please, don't let me keep you," He said glancing over to Negi. "Unless there's anything else Negi-sensei, I have some matters I need to attend to in getting settled down here at Mahora."

"Oh certainly," Negi said nodded gratefully, "And thank you for all of your help, I'm glad that you're available. I know the girls are going to really appreciate the help you have to offer."

"Yes, thank you very much Locke-sensei." Ku Fei chirped in, bowing deeply. "You helped me very much."

Yue nodded as well, "Yes, thank a lot, Locke-sensei." She said.

Magnus just offered a wan smile and departed.

After he was gone, Setsuna found herself staring at the doorway, her expression intent.

Konoka and Asuna looked at the girl in concern. "Is something the matter Setsuna-san?" Asuna asked.

The girl gazed at the door for just a moment longer then shook her head. "Um, no it's nothing. I just thought I sensed something…strange that's all." She said with a fleeting smile.

"Well, no matter!" Konoka chimed, "I've been waiting too long, let's go out and get some ice cream!"

"Ice cream?" Asuna whimpered, "But aren't you tired from last night?"

"Where ice cream is involved, sacrifices must be made." Konoka caroled. "Now hurry up, we've already wasted so much of the day." And with that she began dragging her friends out of the classroom. All the while Asuna marveled at the relentless energy that the other girl continued to have.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Magnus paced down the stairs from Mahora Girls' Junior High School and smirked as he saw Takamichi leaning against the hood of his car, staring up at him.

"How was your first day?" Takamichi asked with a mischievous grin.

Magnus shrugged, "You enjoyed yourself didn't you?" He grumbled.

"Whatever do you mean?" He asked innocently.

"Oh, don't think I'll forget that whole little 'supervision' statement you happened to drop earlier." Magnus said, yet despite himself he managed to chuckle. "Still, to be honest, it wasn't that bad." Then his expression narrowed, "How did you know that I would be leaving now? You haven't been out here the whole time have you?"

Takamichi shook his head, "One of the other teachers told me Negi's tutoring session was rounding up, I figured I would stop by and give you a ride to your new apartment."

Magnus nodded, "Keeping tabs on me I see." He said smugly.

"You honestly think that the Headmaster is going to let you just traipse around the Academy without _someone_ keeping any eye on you?"

"He wouldn't be the same Konoemon that I remembered if he didn't." Magnus admitted with a grin. "Still, I suppose it wasn't the most terrible thing assigning me to Negi as I had first thought."

"Oh, the boy won you over already hasn't he?" Takamichi said his grin broadening.

"I wouldn't push it _that_ far." Magnus warned, "But he's certainly cut from a different cloth as his father." He shook his head, "From last night's events I would have sworn he was just like his father."

"So you're admitting that you did have a hand in that incident." Takamichi pressed.

Magnus's eyes narrowed, "I was merely making an observation. Even the notes compiled by last night's observers clearly made the same conclusions; don't mistake an observation with a confession." He sighed, "I swear, I thought Gateau taught you better about how to properly fish for information."

Takamichi smiled as he remembered his former mentor, "Oh he taught me a great many things, including how to trip up a target about his story."

"Well, you're going to have to work harder than that." Magnus said with a sigh as he looked out into the afternoon sun. "But to what I was saying a moment ago, no Negi's certainly his own person. The boy's sharp, sharper than I gave him credit for at any rate."

"What do you mean?" Takamichi asked.

"Well, for one, he thinks that I'm a magus." He admitted.

"What exactly did you tell him?"

He shrugged, "Nothing much, I danced around the issue with him for a bit to see just how perceptive him, and the kid blew my expectation way out of the water. What's more, he's certainly got the self-confidence to go right for the target. Even asked me straight out if I was a magus."

"And what did you tell him?"

"I told him he had a quirky sense of humor." Magnus replied casually.

Takamichi didn't quite know how to respond to that answer. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I just told you how perceptive the kid is. I tell him I'm a magus, newly arrived to Mahora and the kid will start fishing around for _why_ I'm here. He might not figure out the whole picture, but it doesn't take any stretch of the imagination to take my arrival with the incident with the demon together."

"So you're admitting you're involvement?" Takamichi pressed.

"It's immaterial." Magnus said, waving the statement aside, I was more than willing to let the little game between them continue, but he was being serious at the moment, "Moreover, Negi's going to wonder what it was that I asked Herrmann about last night. Given the pains people have taken to keep Negi as insulated from danger, I'm not about to ruin it all by throwing the kid a bone and directing him towards that danger."

"That's surprising considerate of you." The bespeckled man stated genuinely astonished.

Magnus rolled his eyes, "I'm not _always_ a monster, Takamichi-kun." He said with a sigh, deciding that perhaps it was best to change the subject. "So what brings you here?"

"Well, I thought that perhaps you wouldn't mind a ride to your apartment. The Headmaster's managed to find you a place near the school."

"Just so long as it isn't in one of the dormitories," Magnus sighed heavily, causing the younger man to chuckle.

"Don't worry," He reassured, "It's in the Faculty Ward; you don't have to worry about rubbing elbows with the students all the time."

"Well, in that case I'm more than willing to accept." Magnus said as he paced around the parked Viper. "But let's stop somewhere to eat, first I'm starving."

"I think I know just the place." Takamichi said with a smirk as he opened the driver's door.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

"Well this is certainly a surprise." Magnus said as he sat at the counter of the dining car, he glanced up to see the Chinese writing on the kiosk's display pronouncing the diner to be "Chao Bao Zi."

"Wait until you actually try the _nikuman_." Takamichi explained, "Chao-kun and Sat-chan have certainly earned a name for themselves with their culinary skills. Anything from a simple snack to full course meals, all of it is delicious."

"You're too kind, Takahata-sensei." A voice came from the dining car.

Magnus turned to look at the young girl who had appeared from around the corner. Dark haired, with a light complexion, with rosy cheeks the girl seemed to brim with repressed energy. It was a sight that Magnus was becoming accustomed with in regards to the students around Mahora Academy. So young, so filled with energy, ready to tackle the world.

"Chao-kun, I'd like you to meet Magnus Locke, he's a new teacher teaching at the school. In fact, he's working closely with Negi-sensei," Takamichi said making introductions. "I'm sure you'll be seeing him more often in class."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Locke-sensei." The girl said, with only the slightest hesitation in her mannerism, "I'm Chao Lingshen. The proprietor of Chao Bao Zi." She paused for a moment, "How do you like Mahora Academy?"

Magnus offered a slight smile at the young girl. "I've only been here for a day so far, I'm afraid. So I'm not entirely certain I could answer that question properly yet."

"Ah, I see, you're a man who is careful about what he says and does, that's a very good quality." She said earnestly.

Her demeanor surprised Magnus. She was very straightforward, more so than he would expect of a girl her age. "Well, you seem to pick up on people rather quickly." He admitted.

"It's a trait that I like to think works well for me." She admitted, "But I hope you enjoy your stay here at Mahora." Then her grin widened, "And I hope that Chao Bao Zi can make it all the more pleasant with our menu. We travel all around the Academy," she fished out a small brochure and handed it over to the teacher. "This is our usual schedule. If you get a craving for some _nikuman_ or some of our other menu items, hopefully we'll be close by."

Magnus took the offered menu, and smiled politely. "I think something light and on the go will do for now." He stated.

"How about a dozen of your _nikuman_, Chao-kun?" Takamichi asked.

"Not a problem." The girl beamed happily, then paused for a moment in thought, then nodded assuredly, "And Locke-sensei, how would you like a cup of _Yuanyang_ coffee."

Magnus was taken aback by the offer, "Um, I didn't know you offered coffee as well." He admitted.

"We like to pride ourselves on being able to meet our clients' demands." Chao said sincerely, "And I have a strong feeling that you'd like some of our premium blend coffee."

"Sure why not." Magnus said and just like that the girl disappeared into the dining car, leaving Takamichi staring at him thoughtfully. "What?"

Takamichi shrugged, "I guess it's nothing, but I've never heard Chao-kun offer anyone coffee from here before."

"Not something that on the regular menu?" He asked as he stared at the brochure.

"Not usually." Takamichi stated, "She has quite a few good teas that she serves, but to the best of my recollection, I don't remember her specifically recommending coffee to anyone."

"Well, perhaps it's something new and she's using me as the guinea pig." Magnus thought, somewhat feeling a sense of fear washing over him. He really enjoyed his coffee, and the last thing was he wanting to be the test subject for anyone's new experimentation into their own form of brewing.

"Perhaps." Takamichi offered absently.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

Regardless of Magnus's initial concerns, the _Yuanyang _turned out to be quite delicious. Apparently, Chao Lingshen was certainly a hell of businesswoman, because she had just managed to effortlessly obtain for herself a dedicated customer if she could maintain the quality of coffee that she offered. He hadn't even had the opportunity to try out the _nikuman_ yet, but he had a sinking suspicion that they would prove to be equally delectable.

As he sipped on his coffee, he walked through the fully furnished apartment that Konoemon had managed to secure for him. He was actually surprised by the accommodations, as the landlord walked him through the amenities that had been offered.

He smiled gratefully, as he signed off on the paperwork that she produced before scampering away, leaving Magnus and Takamichi alone.

"Pretty nice place." The younger man said, placing the sack of pork-buns on the kitchen counter, while Magnus slid open the glass door and walked out onto the terraced balcony. He stared out into the fading sunlight.

"It'll do." Magnus said after a moment as Takamichi joined him out on the terrace. He glanced down at his coffee, lost in thought.

"You seem to be distracted." Takamichi observed.

"Just thinking that's all." He admitted.

"If you want to be alone, I can come back tomorrow to talk about the arrangements." Takamichi offered.

Magnus shook himself, then offered a faux smile, "No, that won't be necessary." He said shrugging aside the thoughts. "Did you manage to get that list?"

"Yeah," He said, offering the manila envelope he had brought with him to the apartment. "It's shorter than what I originally intended, but I think that's for the best."

Magnus took the offered package and quickly sifted through the contents, there were two portfolios. He opened the first time, looking through the dossiers that Takamichi had compiled.

"That's the list of individuals whom I trust implicitly." He pointed out.

Magnus nodded, sifting through the information with a keen eye. "They're young." He stated as he flipped through the information.

Takamichi snorted, "That's an effective criterion to judge people by?" He asked.

Magnus shook his head, "No, not always. It's just in some cases youth can lead to brashness." Magnus said as he flipped through another page, his eyes narrowing on the picture of the woman attached to the folder. It was a standard school photo, and did nothing to really accentuate the woman's character. But that wasn't what concerned Magnus. No it was the woman's blonde hair, blue eyes, pale complexion and wire-rimmed glasses that drew his attention. He scanned the name quickly, "Kuzunoha Toko" it read.

"How well do you trust the individuals in this folder?" He asked.

"I've known them for years. Most of them have helped me on missions with the AAA. Why?" Takamichi said.

Magnus held up the photo of Kuzunoha. "Herrmann gave me a description of the woman who summoned him last night. And your friend Kuzunoha is a pretty close match."

Takamichi looked at him incredulously, "Are you serious, Magnus?"

"Female, blond hair, blue eyes, pale complexion and wire rimmed glasses. I can't imagine there are that many individuals at Mahora who match that description." He stated.

"But I've known Toko-san for five years. She's a _shinmei-ryu_ swordswoman from Kyoto, why would she be involved with Cosmos Entelecheia?"

"That's a very good question." Magnus said, staring at the photo again. Something about the whole thing wasn't sitting well with him though. It was almost too easy. To believe that a suspect would appear just hours after Magnus began his investigation, it just seemed too contrived to be possible. Nevertheless, it was a lead and he wasn't about to ignore it. "I think we should ask her."

"Hold on one minute, Magnus." Takamichi snapped, "You're just going to find her and then what?"

"I'm going to ask her a few questions, that's all." Magnus said innocently.

"Yeah, I think you need to stop right now and think about what you're going to do." The younger man warned.

"What are you talking about Takamichi?" Magnus asked his brow furrowing.

"I've seen that look that you have in your eye before, and usually the consequences that follow are not pleasant for whoever you have in your crosshairs. So I want you to take a stop right now and tell me, explicitly what you plan on doing."

Magnus glared at Takamichi, then sighed leaning against the balcony railing shaking his head. "Look, chances are that this Kuzunoha Toko isn't the same woman that Herrmann told me about. But I'm not about to simply ignore a lead simply because she's one of your friends."

"She's not just one of my friends, Magnus." Takamichi snapped, "She's a _shinmei-ryu _swordswoman, and a teacher here at the Academy. Don't you understand what that means, Magnus!" Takamichi snapped, "You know how rigorous the training in the _shinmei-ryu_ is, and the sort of attitudes people develop during their training. Those are not the sort of people who casually associate with demons or use them for their plans."

"Takamichi, the way you make it sound she's likely the perfect individual I would have infiltrate Mahora _because_ of those talents. The best plans are those individuals who people automatically defer suspicion because they think they know that their past associations couldn't possibly make them out to be the bad guys."

Takamichi glared at Magnus for a long hard moment. Admittedly, he was willing to concede that the older man might have more experience in his tradecraft. After all, he still remembered the high praise Master Gateau leveled upon Cosmo Entelecheia's spymaster during the Great War.

During that war, Mathias the _Ala Ferrum_ had managed to not only organize an intelligence network that was responsible for manipulating both parties of the conflict, but he had done such a marvelous job that it hadn't been until those responsibilities had been taken away from him by his superiors that _Ala Rubra_ had even been able to discern the existence of Cosmo Entelecheia.

No, the younger man was willing to admit that what had him concerned was not whether or not Kuzunoha might be connected to the possible Cosmo Entelecheia plot unfolding around here, but that Magnus's methods to constantly damn the consequences would leave a trail of broken bodies in his wake, and Takamichi was not about to allow that to happen. Not where his fellow colleagues were concerned.

Magnus's green eyes bore into Takamichi, but he did not relent, suddenly something flickered in those eyes and a slow smile blossomed on his face. "Okay, how about we play this from a different angle, then." He began.

"I'm listening." Takamichi said cautiously.

"Eishun told me that you have a communications orb that I could use to contact him." Magnus said.

That admonishment surprised Takamichi, but he nodded, reaching into suit's inside pocket and retrieving the small indigo orb. He tossed it to Magnus who quickly activated the magical artifact.

It only took a moment before an image appeared above the orb, an image of a very irate Konoe Eishun.

"I'm glad you could work me into your busy schedule." He stated icily as he stared levelly at Magnus.

The older man frowned, "Some reason that I needed to get a hold of you sooner, Eishun-kun?" Magnus offered casually.

"Oh, I don't know, how about that whole escapade concerning the demon at Mahora last night!" Eishun snapped, "Or how about the fact that the demon kidnapped my daughter. Perhaps that might have warranted you contacting me?"

"First of all, the demon wasn't exactly targeting Konoka specifically; he captured several other girls as well." Magnus expression turned thoughtful, "And she wasn't injured in the whole thing, so I hadn't really thought it was all the pertinent—"

"Not pertinent!" Eishun snapped back, "You were telling me that these infiltrators wouldn't be targeting Konoka!"

"They weren't targeting Konoka for her sake alone." Magnus quickly inserted, "They were targeting Negi Springfield, they just happened to use Konoka as bait."

"And that makes it all the better!"

"You know that the demon was defeated without anyone being hurt right, Eishun-kun?" Magnus asked.

"I think you're missing the point. You told me you would protect my daughter."

"And I did, although in a roundabout way. You weren't kidding that Negi is certainly the Thousand Master's son."

"Don't you dare change the subject!" Eishun snapped.

"Look Eishun-kun, as much as I would like to get into yet another of our infamous arguments, I have to ask you a question pertaining to one of your _shinmei _swordswomen here at the Academy."

Eishun seemed to mellow momentarily at Magnus's statement. "Are you talking about Kuzunoha Toko?" He asked.

Magnus wasn't surprised that Eishun had zeroed in on the woman. After all, Mahora Academy was Kanto Magic Association territory, an Association that had developed close ties with Western-based Magic Associations, something that had been a long issue of contention which had strained the relationship between the Kanto and Kansai MA. As such, there couldn't have been too many individuals related to the Kansai Association at Mahora, and probably fewer _shinmei-ryu _practitioners.

"Yes." Magnus said simply. "How well do you know her?" He asked.

Eishun seemed to somewhat balk at the question, "She's a very proficient swordswoman, and capable teacher. I've had quite a few opportunities to spar with her when she was in Kyoto before she accepted her job at Mahora, why?"

"She popped up on my radar here just a minute ago, and I wanted to flesh out a little more information about her," Magnus admitted.

"What did she do to deserve your undivided attention?" the Head Elder asked, an edge slowly creeping into his voice.

"She matched the description of a possible suspect in collusion with the demon attack last night."

"And you think it was Toko-kun!" Eishun snapped, "Never!"

"Are you certain?" Magnus asked.

"Positive! Her family has a long history with the _shinmei-ryu_ she would never willingly associate with a demon." Eishun pressed.

"Well, there's a first time for everything." Magnus said a smirk cresting his lips, "Like now for instance. Okay, I'm going to hang up, once I do you need to call her and fill her in on the situation here at Mahora and tell her she needs to trust me." Magnus explained.

"At the rate things are going, _I_ barely trust you Magnus-kun!" Eishun snapped quickly.

"Konoka's fine, Eishun-kun, I just saw her today and she was a literal ball of energy, can you let this rest."

"Why do you need me to tell Kuzunoha-san to trust you?"

"Because I doubt she'll do it on her own. That and Takamichi and I need to begin rounding up people who are going to start going after the Cosmo Entelecheia agents operating around here. Now if you don't want to worry about Konoka's safety I would suggest that the sooner that you call Kuzunoha-san, the sooner we can get on track and root out these threats. Thanks, Eishun-kun, I'll keep in touch." Then before he could let Eishun reply, Magnus deactivated the orb and tossed it back to Takamichi.

The other man looked at Magnus exasperated. "Was that really necessary?" He asked his voice strained.

Magnus shrugged, "I don't really care one way or the other, we need to get this ball rolling and I can't do that if I have to coddle a worried father because a demon decided to use his daughter as bait."

It was really moments like these that tried Takamichi's patience. He was suddenly remembering just how egotistical and arrogant Magnus could be. No matter how well intentioned the man's motives might be, Takamichi somehow felt that the man could accomplish much more if he wasn't so much of an ass and considered other people every once and a while.

"So now you're going to trust Kuzunoha?" He said instead, attempting to bring the topic back on track.

Magnus shrugged, "I said nothing about trusting Kuzunoha." He said simply, "I just told Eishun that Kuzunoha had to trust _me._ She's still a suspect until I can clear her, but this way at least we can use her until I determine if she's a threat or not." He said, placing the folders down on one of the balcony chairs and massaged his right forearm.

Takamichi sighed heavily, hardly believing just how rapidly the conversation seemed to dredge into murky waters. "I really can't believe you sometimes, Magnus-kun. You know that right?"

"What I know is that there's a real threat—not some hackneyed troublemaker—but someone who can potentially inflict catastrophic damage to Mahora Academy. You've seen what Fate and his associates almost accomplished in Kyoto," he shook his head, "but it won't be the same way here. Whatever Fate has planned, he's already begun making adjustments to ensure that his plan _does_ succeed in regards to Mahora. We've already seen it with his attempt to remove Negi from the equation last night. Given the fact that it failed, there's a good chance that Fate may redouble his efforts with another attack.

"So we're fighting against the clock here, Takamichi-kun." He glanced down at the folio where the picture of the young woman rested "And because we're on such limited time, I'm going to operate how I see fit. I'm not going to win any awards for nicest guy here, that's not what we need. What we need are people we can trust and are reliable, and we need them focused on stopping whoever Fate has operating here because if we don't he will succeed. We can't let that happen." He gazed out into the cityscape once more, "I can't let that happen; I owe the princess and my granddaughter that much."

Takamichi stared at the man before for a long moment. Just when the man could appear so thoughtless and inconsiderate, he turned around and spouted something like that.

After a moment he sighed again, fished into his pocket and removed a cigarette. After lighting it, buying himself time to compose his thoughts, he stared back at the other man. "I can't fault you there Magnus-kun." He said, "But I will admit that perhaps exercising a bit more tact might not kill you. I would have sworn that in all your years you would have at least heard the old expression involving the differences between attracting insects with vinegar and honey."

Magnus actually chuckled, it was a small dry expression, but it was a chuckle nonetheless. "You have a very good point. Perhaps I need a PR agent." He cast a side-long glance at Takamichi, "You volunteering?"

Takamichi rolled his eyes indignantly, "Your sense of humor never surprises me anymore." He sighed, "So aside from Kuzunoha-san ending up on your suspect list—of which I still believe she's absolutely innocent—what do you think of the others?"

"They all look like good, trustworthy people—including Kuzunoha-san, if you want my personal opinion—and we're going to need all of them." He stared out into the fading light. "Can we arrange a meeting for all of them tomorrow?"

Takamichi nodded, "I had a feeling that was where you wanted to go with all of this, so I already took the liberty of speaking with the Headmaster about the whole thing. He's arranged for a meeting with all of them in his office tomorrow at ten."

"Perfect." Magnus said, turning away from the balcony and heading inside. "Then we can eat." He paused just before Takamichi entered, "And no smoking inside, I just signed off for this place."

Takamichi shook his head in exasperation as he snubbed out the cigarette and headed inside.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

No matter how many times Negi's face felt it, the concrete of Evangeline's resort never got any softer. A fraction of his conscious mind contemplated that predicament, but by and large he was moving solely on instinct, attempting to remain one step ahead of the furious onslaught that was pressing against him.

Using his momentum to carry him, he rolled out and regained his footing, simultaneously casting a triple-barrier spell to at least delay some of Master's attacks. But that only dealt with one of the threats that were bearing down upon him, and his eyes darted around, attempting to predict where the other two would come from.

He caught just the slightest blur to his right out of his peripheral, his body crouching ready to spring…now.

He leapt up, avoiding Chachamaru's punch, while spinning instantly to deliver a deflecting kick to Chachazero. The small puppet blocked the kick, but the power behind it was sufficient to send it cart wheeling, but Negi paid it no heed, he was already refocusing his attack on Chachamaru following through with a downward punch into the small of the android's back.

Except it never landed. Realizing that Negi had evaded her initial punch, the android had followed through with her own momentum, tumbling into her hands and gyrating her hips.

The end result was a rather painful heel slamming into Negi's ribs.

He winced as he was sent flying, mindful that his trajectory was taking directly into Master's kill zone.

If there was one thing that Negi had learned as Evangeline's disciple was that the youthful-appearing vampire certainly was not one to hold back. A fact that was reinforced, painfully, as a pillar—albeit blunted—of ice tore into his midsection.

Negi coughed violently as the air was driven from his lungs and his eyes bulged, his mind suddenly frozen.

That hesitation was enough for Chachamaru to deliver a follow-up attack. Negi felt the pressure on his ankle and knew he had just screwed up.

His mistake was only reinforced as he felt his back slam into the concrete.

He laid there, his vision splotched with dark specks, his breath ragged as he attempted to suck in air that felt too strained to suffice him. It was in those painful moments though, when no follow up attack came that he realized that he had once again failed one of Master's three-on-one combat sessions.

He also knew that it wasn't his first failure of the day either. In the four hours since his arrival at Evangeline's Resort, his Master had thrown him through one relentless sparing match after another, paying absolutely no mind to his exertion or exhaustion from the previous night's activities.

"Pathetic." A voice snarled, and suddenly his Master was standing over him, glaring at him with those piercing blue eyes. "Considering what you accomplished last night I would have thought that you would have been able to at least reach the minute mark, but here you are! Thirty-eight seconds is the best you can do!"

He felt the familiar pressure of her foot pressing against his cheek and he winced, more from the biting words than the crushing sensation on his already bruised face.

Evangeline eyed the boy carefully, seeing his reaction, the snorted in frustration. "You're not focusing." She said, pacing away from Negi and towards the covered gazebo. "What's bothering you?" She ordered.

"Nothing…Master." Negi breathed as he leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees.

Evangeline spun on her heel. "Fool, I did not _ask_ you what was bothering. I was telling you to tell me what was preventing you from focusing on your training!"

Negi was surprised by Evangeline's tone, so much so that he began speaking before he even realized that the words were leaving his mouth. "It's about last night…" He started, but then stopped. His mouth snapped close with and audible click. Nevertheless, Evangeline had gotten her answer and she now stared across the plaza to where Negi sat.

"What about last night?" She pressed.

At first the boy wasn't about to speak, but Evangeline's gaze continued to bore into him.

"You know what happened last night, don't you Master?" Negi said after a moment, admitting defeat.

"I know that you defeated a pretty high-level demon using the magical technique that I taught you, yes." She said, a slight smugness entering into her voice, but it was almost immediately dashed out by a poisonous retort, "But I also know that you lost your head and had to be bailed out by some troublemaking magus!"

Negi sighed heavily, nodding. "It's the last bit that's been nagging me." he admitted.

"And well it should!" She snarled, "No one worthy of calling himself _my_ disciple would ever be so critically _brain-dead_ to lose their cool so easily as that in a real fight."

Negi was silent, staring down at the broken chips of concrete that lay strung about around him.

"You were bailed out at the last second for your stupidity." Evangeline continued, "I wouldn't expect that to happen again." She stared around the plaza, the scars of their sparing sessions evident. "You know what would have happened if that magus hadn't shown you, don't you."

"The others..." Negi began, his voice low.

"I don't give a damn about the others! They aren't my disciples!" Evangeline snarled, "I meant what would have happened to you!"

"I would have been turned to stone." He admitted.

"Yes, you would have been turned to stone, and everything you cared for would have been taken away from you. All of those troublesome girls would have been at the mercy of that demon and his cohorts. Do you understand that?"

Negi nodded slowly.

"Well, take that as a reminder for you to carry around." Evangeline grated, "Remember that if no one had interfered, you _would_ have lost and all of your friends would most likely be dead right now," then a malevolent aura appeared over her features, "or worse.

"Last night was a prime example to understand what the world is like beyond Mahora." She continued, "It is an unforgiving world, as you would have most likely realized if someone hadn't been _kind_ enough to knock you out of the way." She shook her head in dismay. "Because of that interference, you're left in this nice peachy bubble that in the end someone will save the day for you if you royally screw up like you did last night. Remember this, Negi-boya, the world you want to enter is a terrible place. People don't always come to the rescue at the last minute and good people die for no other reason than the circumstances that fate has placed them in. You would do well to remember that fact."

Negi was quiet for a long moment and Evangeline sighed heavily, "So what are you moping about now?"

He shook his head after a moment, "I can't think like that, Master." He professed, his gaze steadying on Evangeline. "I can't believe that the world is like that!"

"I'm not telling you to _think_ that the world is a terrible place, I'm telling you that it _is_ a terrible place!" She snarled, "And the longer it takes for you to dance around accepting it is longer means that you're just going to be hurt all the more when you're forced to realize it." Her eyes narrowed, "When you realize that one of your friends died because you were too late, or weren't around to stop it. That is what you have to learn and accept." Then she shook her head. "Or just stop now, give up everything that you've worked for and go back to the normal world and be a simple school teacher for the rest of your life."

"I can't accept that!" Negi snapped, and Evangeline allowed a slight smile to creep into her expression as she felt the magical energy beginning to swell around the young boy as she challenged his convictions. "I might have screwed up yesterday, but I won't allow it to happen again." His eyes burned with intensity, "And if it's within my power to stop it, I will change this world so that such things will never happen."

"Oh you think you can change the world?" Evangeline said, folding her arms in indignation.

"I will, Master."

Evangeline shrugged her shoulders, "That we'll just have to see." In an instant, she had cleared the distance separating them, the palm of her right hand snaked back ready to deliver a powerful blow.

Negi though, was ready for it, he spun backwards, driving his knee into Evangeline's midsection and using her momentum to throw her past him.

Evangeline soared through the air, her eyes wide at the boy's reactions, but even that astonishment was not enough to keep the smile from forming on her face.

_Now he's focused. _She thought as she landed and launched herself at him once again.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

"Good to see you this morning Takamichi-kun, Magnus-kun." Konoe Konoemon bore a toothy grin as Magnus and Takamichi walked through the Headmaster's office.

"Good morning, Headmaster." Magnus said stiffly allowing Takamichi to chuckle.

"You'll have to forgive him, sir." Takamichi stated, "Apparently his apartment wasn't furnished with a coffeemaker. So he's a bit in a foul mood."

"Wouldn't be a problem, but _Chao Bao Zi_'s on the other side of the Academy on Sundays," Magnus grumbled under his breath as he stared around at the other occupants assembled in the room.

"Well, I'm glad you two finally arrived; now we can begin this meeting." Konoemon stated as he leaned back in his chair, stroking his long white beard. "I know this is somewhat of a surprise for me to interrupt your weekend, but unfortunately given recent events it could not be avoided." The Headmaster stated waving to the newcomers. "For those of you who have not been introduced, this is Magnus Locke, he's come to Mahora Academy to investigate a connection that seems to have developed between the Kyoto Field Trip a few weeks ago, as well as the demon attack two nights ago."

Everyone's attention quickly perked towards the redheaded man, and Magnus shrugged as he found himself standing near Konoemon's desk, giving the assembled magic teachers a closer inspection. He knew all of them by name and face, having memorized their information from the dossiers that Takamichi had given him, but a folder and photo could only provide so much.

He scrutinized Professor Akashi Kenji, the father of Akashi Yuna, yet another of Negi Springfield's students from Class 3-A. He stared back at Magnus levelly getting a sense of the sort of man that he was. It was a good trait, and one that Magnus would have expected from the man who was effectively Konoemon's intelligence expert. The man was blessed with the mind of a sponge, always thirty of knowledge, the patience to research and an innate talent for languages. Between what the dossier had told him and his own conversations with Takamichi, he was beginning to get the sense that Akashi was a man of similar talent to Gateau Vandenberg. Although Magnus suspected that a bit more formal training and a few years of hard real world experience would be necessary before Akashi could be considered in Gateau's league.

Then there was the rather portly man sitting next to Akashi. Magnus usually distrusted individuals who had such a carefree, calm expression as the one that Mitsuru Nijuin carried. Unfortunately, Magnus's suspicions seemed somewhat misplaced in this situation. Mahora Academy was not the Borderlands of _Mundus Magicus_, and as such the people who had such expression were also different. Mitsuru's expression was more one of a content carefree life instead of the usually malevolent one that Magnus was accustomed to. No, more than anything, form what Takamichi had told Magnus, Mitsuru Nijuin was a jovialacademic who had developed a knack for low-level magic. It had been fostered and molded into giving him the capability to graduate from the Magical Institute, but beyond that the man had seemed more interested in teaching than traipsing off on adventures.

Magnus passed a glancing eye over Seruhiko Takahiro, a junior high teacher that he had seen in passing yesterday on campus. Given the man's talents, more or less a balance between information gathering and magical capabilities, Magnus suspected that the man was one of Konoemon's "informants" asked to keep an eye on him. He had already figured that the three men would probably fill out the cadre of their intelligence group and be able to update the rest of them in the field during operations.

The dark-skinned man sitting across from Mitsuru had to be Ian Gandolfini, a Western Mage who had transferred to Mahora Academy almost a decade before. Out of all of Mahora's mages Gandolfini appeared to possess the most talent, enough so that he had regularly participated with Takamichi during missions abroad. Given his experience, Magnus felt that Gandolfini would prove to be quite useful for operations in the coming weeks.

The nun sitting in one of the plush lounge chairs next to the coffee table, was obviously Sister Shakti. Her dossier had described her as a "combat nun" although for the life of him, Magnus still found that description rather humorous in the contradictory nature of the term. Yet, any humor that Magnus found in the description disappeared as he stared at the young woman who returned his gaze with equal interest and curiosity, but there was a hardened edge under that gaze. Somehow, she seemed to exude an aura of self-confidence and serenity, something that was quite refreshing.

Sitting across from her was the infamous Kataragi Joseph. The man's well trimmed beard and cold eyes denoted his mixed Nippon-Slavic ancestry. He was also a magus who had specialized in Western magic and had accompanied Takamichi on numerous activities across the world. He was a quiet, reserved gentleman, and as Magnus returned his steady gaze, he knew that the man was also very self-assured.

Eventually Magnus's gaze fell on the last person of the group: Kuzunoha Toko. Despite Eishun and Takamichi's assurances, and Magnus's own inner voice, he still suspected her of being somehow caught up in this entire episode. It was interesting though that at the moment she had forgone to wear her glasses. Nevertheless, his acutely paranoid mind was not going to rest until he had either exonerated Kuzunoha or discovered her connection with Cosmo Entelecheia. He rather hoped that the woman's involvement was merely coincidental, because Takamichi had not been underscoring her capabilities. She was a prominent and capable swordswoman, and her field work—while limited primarily to Japan—was nevertheless extensive. She would prove to be quite the asset, so long as she was innocent.

Magnus's introspective examination of the assembled Magi took less than three seconds, and he offered a slight smile as he realized that despite how things turned out, Takamichi had been accurate in just how capable these people were likely to prove in the coming weeks and months.

Magnus stepped forward accepting the floor. "I'm certain that all of you are familiar with the events that transpired two nights ago involving a high-level demon entering Mahora City, subsequently kidnapping several students and eventually battling Negi Springfield at the University Amphitheatre." Several heads nodded, others peered more intently at Magnus, as if drawing conclusions that he might have been involved in that incident. "What you don't know is that there is reason to believe that the incident is not isolated but in fact related to the events that occurred several weeks in Kyoto with the Agamasaki plot to overthrow the Kansai Association."

"What evidence do you have to substantiate that claim?" Akashi was the first to ask.

Magnus nodded, "The demon who attacked Negi Springfield said that the individuals operating in Mahora were involved with an individual known as Fate Averruncus." He admitted, "While some might consider the testimony of a demon somewhat circumspect, more than anything else it's the timing between the Kyoto Incident and the Demon Attack, both of which have involved Negi Springfield that have led me to believe that they're related."

"That seems pretty thin." Mitsuru admitted.

"If whether the connection between the two incidents is thin or not is immaterial." Magnus stated, "It is only one more piece of the puzzle that I'm investigating. What's more substantial is that your own intelligence assets knew that the demon had been released within our outermost perimeter barriers. Given the means from which the demon had been sealed, it required the skills of a sufficiently trained magus to unseal him. Meaning that someone has managed to infiltrate Mahora Academy for reasons that can only be assumed to be detrimental to the Academy's function, and most likely that of the Kanto Magic Association."

"Backing up a second," Serukiho chimed in, "but you said that this 'Fate Averruncus' was somehow involved?"

"You're Serukiho-san, correct?" the other man nodded affirmatively, "So you were with Negi Springfield in Kyoto?"

"Yes," He admitted, "I wasn't at the Kansai Association when Agamasaki attacked, I was looking after the other students to ensure their safety."

"But you've been briefed on Fate though?"

"Bits and pieces, The Kansai Association was still uncovering information, and what their liaison was willing to share with me was pretty slim."

Magnus frowned, appreciating more and more his—somewhat strained—relationship with Eishun. While the two men might not always see eye-to-eye over every little thing, or a great many for that matter, they did at least possess a high level of respect for one another. Respect that had allowed for Eishun to be far more forthcoming with the information that they had uncovered than they obviously had been with any of the Mahora teachers.

"Well, the short version is that Fate Averruncus has ties with Cosmo Entelencheia, the organization chiefly responsible for the orchestration of the Great War twenty years ago. He apparently was enacting plans with Agamasaki, and due to circumstances that we have yet to uncover, he has similar plans for Mahora Academy as well."

"Which is why the Headmaster was kind enough to ask all of you to be here today," Magnus spared a glance to Takamichi and Konoemon. "With the Headmaster's approval, Takamichi-san and I need to organize a team to track down these infiltrators and hopefully prevent them from succeeding in whatever it is that they have planned."

Gandolfini eyed Magnus for a moment before speaking up, "If you'll excuse me, Locke-san, but I would like to know what qualifications you bring to the table that makes you important in heading up this investigation?"

"I'm assuming you mean in regards to how to track down these agents that Fate has managed to place at Mahora?" the other man nodded, "Very simple, I know how Cosmo Entelencheia operates due to my past association with the organization."

Now all of the teachers eyed him dangerously, "Would you care to clarify that statement." Gandolfini demanded suddenly.

"Magnus-kun was an agent for Cosmo Entelencheia during the Great War." Takamichi stated simply.

It was like watching a tsunami crash over the assembled mages as they gawked at Magnus in shock and horror. Given how absolute it struck them, Magnus had to resist the temptation to grin at them, it would only have exacerbated the already tense situation.

Instead he shrugged, "Takamichi-kun is absolutely right." He stated nonchalantly. "Not only was I an agent for Cosmo Entelecheia but also a senior operator in escalating the tensions between the Empire and the Confederation."

"Headmaster!" Akashi snapped finally, "Why is this man here and not in prison!"

"Because," Konoemon said in the tone of a lecturing grandfather, "What I believe Magnus-kun is, purposely, leaving out is that he was also instrumental in bringing the war to an end."

Magnus eyed the Headmaster for a moment and shrugged as he stared back at the others, "Well, I guess there are little details like that that I might have overlooked, but I don't quite see how they're relevant at this moment."

"That's why I received a phone call from the Head Elder yesterday, isn't it Locke-san?" Kuzunoha said sharply.

Magnus nodded, "It is, Kuzunoha-san. More than anything, it was meant as a way to demonstrate my credentials to you." He paused, "I worked closely with Eishun-kun, Takamichi-kun and the rest of _Ala Rubra_ at the end of the War and have worked with them off-and-on in the decade that followed." Then he stared at the rest of the teachers, most of whom remained unconvinced.

"Look, what matters isn't whether or not you trust me, for your purposes, your superiors trust me and that should be more than enough for you…" He cut off as he felt a jab to his ribs and glared over at Takamichi who was eyeing him.

"Remember that conversation from last night, 'vinegar and honey.'" He whispered.

"You're really going to hold that over my head?" Magnus hissed.

"You bet."

Magnus rolled his eyes, "Okay, let me put it another way." He sighed, "The danger to the Academy is imminent and despite your personal reservations, I have just as much a stake to stop them as you do to protect the Academy."

"And that would be what exactly?" Sister Shakti asked.

"I have a granddaughter who is attending Mahora Academy, she is in just as much danger as anyone else, and I have every intention of keeping her, and the place she calls home, safe." Magnus grated. "What's more, Can any of your really think that you can track down these people without my expertise? One of the principle methods that Cosmo Entelecheia excelled at was infiltration, and it wasn't until the demon appeared the other night that anyone even suspected that there might be an agent operating here. I can find them, but I can't do it alone, I need people who are familiar with Mahora. People who can keep an eye out for suspicious activity; activity that I wouldn't familiar enough to spot as out of the norm.

"More than anything, you have to believe that this threat is real and credible. You all know how devastating the Great War was, and the atrocities that were allowed to occur before anyone even _suspected_ that there was a third power pulling all of the strings." Despite himself, he glanced over to Takamichi, "We have an opportunity here though, we _know_ that someone is attempting to do something nefarious here and you people are in a position to stop it, with resources that neither of the Great Powers of the War had at their disposal at the opening of hostilities. And believe me, given the shakers and movers who appear to be responsible, if we allow Cosmo Entelecheia to operate unopposed, the results can only be considered catastrophic. Are you at least willing to believe that I, at the very least, have the intention to want to stop them from succeeding?"

It was a hard sell, but Magnus knew it would be, made all the worse by Takamichi demanding that he actually use "tact" to win over these people. There were times that he wished life were so much easier, when all he had to do was rely upon his titles to demand loyalty. But that wasn't truly loyalty, now was it? It was nothing but an empty façade. No, he _needed_ these people, what's more, he needed them more than they might actually need him.

And yet, he seemed to have struck a cord. It might have been a small, fragile cord, but it struck true no matter what and one by one, he saw a head nod, or an expression shift to either approval or acknowledgement.

"Very well." Akashi said, speaking seemingly for the whole group. "I'm willing to give you a chance at least, Locke-san. Although I think there are more than a few points you're going to need to clarify for me."

"Same here." Kataragi stated nodding.

"Glad to here it." Magnus said, physically relaxing, "Ask away, because the sooner we get everyone up to speed, the sooner we can work on figuring out who these people are…" and from there, what would eventually became the Mahora Defense Group was formed.

It was a sight that Konoemon savored with glee. It seemed that some people _could_ actually change, he thought as he watched the man whom he had met forty years earlier as an enemy was now working, earnestly, for the greater good. He was pretty certain that he wasn't ever going to see something quite that amazing in the remainder of his life.

_See, there are still reasons to get out of bed in the morning._ He thought cheerfully as Magnus and the other magi teachers dove into details and organizations.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

The chime of the Library Island's clock tower was soft and dull at Celestial Square, near Mahora University, and not all that far from the University Amphitheatre. The memory of what had transpired two nights earlier still hung heavy on Hei's mind. Try as he might he still could not believe that two magi, with emphasis on Negi Springfield, could have possibly stopped a demon such as Herrmann.

What's more, Hei did not enjoy the fact that he was responsible for conveying the failure of the operation to Fate-sama. Nevertheless, the meeting had been prearranged, and he was not about to miss the appointment, they were just too far along in their plans for things to begin going awry now.

"I understand things did not go according to plan." A voice said out of the shadows.

Hei remained perfectly still, calming his nerves as he craned his neck carefully to meet the gaze of the young white-hair boy who had suddenly appeared.

"I'm afraid not, Fate-sama." Hei said, bowing deeply.

"You're initial report indicated that there were some difficulties that had not been accounted for."

"Yes, apparently a new magus arrived and interfered. Had he not intervened, Negi Springfield would have been defeated."

"And you have discovered who this individual is?" Fate asked, his tone never changing. It seemed to carry more than an air of disinterest about him during the exchange.

"I have." Hei removed the small orb and handed it to the young man.

Fate examined the recording, his eyes narrowing dangerously as the recording played out. After it was over, he pocketed the orb and stared back at Hei. "Have you learned anything more of his activities?"

"Only where his apartment is, and that he's been working with several of the other magical teachers throughout the weekend."

Fate frowned, it was the only expression that betrayed his thoughts, and even that frown was hard to decipher exactly what was going on in his mind. After a moment he nodded. "How are the preparations coming?"

"We've finished the conditioning of the dozen Colossal Ogres that you acquired for us, and they are currently being outfitted for us. They will be ready for use when the time is necessary." Hei admitted.

"And the other issues?"

"There have been some concerns about power usage, and construction material delays, but my master does not believe they should draw attention then they are being utilized through subcontractors who are working with the University expansion project. The very fact that they hold little to know connection with anything remotely magical should dissuade attention from this Magnus Locke."

Fate scowled at Hei. "Do not underestimate _Magnus Locke_." His frigidness of his voice surprised Hei. "The man proved himself more than capable throughout the Great War."

"Fate-sama, if he's a threat. I can always arrange for an accident to befall him."

The white-haired boy snorted incredulously, "Do as you wish." He stated simply, staring out at the darkened streets. "But I will give you warning not to underestimate him, otherwise you won't survive the encounter."

Despite himself Hei proffered a smile, "It is a challenge that I'm excited to handle."

Fate shook his head, "I'll begin making arrangements to handle this contingency." He paused for a moment. "But also inform your master to also be more careful in all of her arrangements from now until the plan activates. If she can, have her distance herself from her pet project, I will not tolerate a repeat of Kyoto."

"And what about Negi Springfield and Kagurazaka Asuna?"

Fate thought the matter of momentarily, before shrugging. "I had hoped to remove them entirely from the equation, but contingencies are already in the works to handle the matter in lieu of this failure."

"It will not happen again, Fate-sama."

"Somehow I doubt that." Fate muttered softly, then stared back at Hei, "Do little to attract attention to yourself or your master. The window for opportunity from which Mahora's magi can use to interfere in our operations is still great so tread carefully."

"Of course, Fate-sama, thank you very much."

"Take this." He offered a small magical orb, "Given the circumstances, I would prefer no more face-to-face meetings until about a week before the operation is about to kick off. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Fate-sama." Hei said taking the offered item and bowing deeply.

"Good," the boy stated as he faded back into the shadows from where he had come.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Magnus yawned lazily as the coffeemaker chimed sweetly in the early morning. In an almost zombie-like trance he converged on the marvelous piece of technology. Numbly he assembled the buffet of condiments and utensils for concocting his tribute and gratefully devoured the contents with gusto.

Only as the last succulent drop of delectably brewed liquid departed his coffee mug and into his gullet did Magnus's brain finally begin functioning.

He stared down at his right forearm, signing heavily as he drew back the sleeve of his sweater and saw the petrified limb. The throbbing pain was something that he could live with, he had endured far worse pain in his life that the constant dull throb was nothing more than a nuisance. Unfortunately, the fact that the petrification was spreading, both in area as well as depth meant that sooner or later he was going to have to make a serious decision about what to do, because within another couple of days he would have to begin worrying about loss of circulation.

He had tried to use his talisman to revert the spell, and he was discouraged to note that the magical item was not up the task. It still had substantial power left in its reserves, but not enough to reverse a high-level curse like the one Herrmann had hit him with.

He sighed as he pulled the sleeve back, allowing his mind to drift to other, more substantial issues on his plate, like the last week.

It had certainly proved…interesting to say the least. He thought as he poured himself another mug.

Despite his initial concerns, the magi that had been assembled to become the Mahora Defense Force were proving themselves to be every bit as capable and reliable as Takamichi had vouched for. He still had his reservations concerning Kuzunoha, and at Takamichi's continued behest, Magnus was keeping his suspicions of the woman discreet. Unfortunately, he knew that he couldn't maintain that façade for much longer because no matter how capable and able his team were proving themselves, they were running into one detrimental roadblock.

They hadn't discovered any leads.

Whoever it had been who was operating at Mahora was certainly no slouch. While Magnus wasn't expecting any real miracles leads to suddenly pop out at him, leaving aside his suspicions of Kuzunoha. He was at least hoping to get a whiff of at least _something._ After all, whoever the rogue agents were operating at Mahora, they had just participated in unleashing a demon within Mahora City, there should be some evidence to lead them somewhere!

But there was nothing. It was infuriating, but not all that surprising, he admitted. The more he thought of it, the more he realized that they had to be skirting close to whatever deadline had been organized here. He remembered during his years of organizing dissidence and chaos in the Empire and Confederation that operational security had mandated absolute secrecy until the very moment before the commencement of the operation.

The fact that the participants here were adhering to that same strategy was not very promising. In fact it was very disturbing. He had hoped to pick up on more pieces of the puzzle than just one potential lead, which was beginning to force him into a corner. Sooner or later, unless something else broke, he was going to have to confront Kuzunoha about his suspicions and interrogate her, Takamichi be damned.

Then there was the other life he was forced into living; that of a student counselor and tutor, with emphasis to the students of Class 3-A. By and large, his activities had been remediated to just dealing with the infamous "Baka Rangers," in Negi's after school study sessions. But as the last couple of days began to bore in and mid-terms on Fridays, suddenly the entire class had suddenly filtered in and perpetuated an _en masse_ study session.

Magnus had been of the opinion that the five girls, with their friends who happened to drop by near the end of the sessions, hadn't been all that bad. They were energetic, capable, not necessarily overly motivated, but competent so long as the information was given to them in the right way, and at their heart all good children.

Then there was Class 3-A! On an individual basis, Magnus was willing to apply the same descriptions to each and every one of the girls, but the problem was that they weren't in the classroom as individuals, they were something else. It reminded Magnus something on par with the French Revolution, only he didn't believe the blood ever got that deep in Paris!

He knew he was embellishing….a little. But after seeing the sort of wild class that Negi had to rule over, his opinion of the young teacher had risen tremendously. At least Negi seemed to assert some sort of authority over the students, albeit at the students' will.

They had treated Magnus with similar courtesy, at least on the first day. After they had begun to recognize his talents and abilities, they had begun prying into details about his personal life. Details that he was easy to deflect, but they were relentless. He was grateful that at least he managed to keep them focused on the study session and the coming mid-terms to deter them from prying too deeply into his life. That seemed to stem the tide, temporarily, but he knew that after the mid-terms they would be like sharks in a feeding frenzy.

It was all the more reason for him to press forth for finding the enemy operatives and get the hell out of Mahora as quickly as possible!

Despite himself, he chuckled as he finished his second cup of coffee, stood and stretched. If only he could live a life where his only concern was being mobbed by his student's, it was a nice dream, but he recognized that it was only a dream. A means to an end, he was maintaining his identity as a tutor to keep up his cover, there was no way that he could live in this world.

But he was not about to deny the reality that the class-wide steady session had allowed him to work a bit with Setsuna. He had adhered to his vow not to interfere in her life, but it was still nice to talk with her, even if he couldn't ask her the questions that were really burning on his mind. It was a small reward that he was willing to accept in exchange for her happiness.

And he now knew that she_ was_ happy. Given what the girl had been forced to survive, all because of him, if anyone had a right to be happy it was Setsuna.

He still smiled at the memory as Setsuna worked with Konoka and him reviewing the English material. It was a small moment, one that he shouldn't be happy about, but it was all he had, all that he allowed himself to have with her.

He shook his head, as he headed for the front door, slipping on his jogging shoes. It was still early in the morning, but he had developed a routine of jogging in the mornings throughout Mahora City. It had practiced similar traits back in Sanbalya, and Magnus was more than grateful of the respite that jogging on paved streets could have on his feet and back.

A five kilometer jog, shower for class, supervise midterms, and then work with the Defense Group on tracking down leads that weren't there. How more perfect could a morning get?

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

The morning air was surprisingly cool, especially for the mid-May morning.

Still, its effect would have little consequence upon the young girl who stood outside the MaGgy Twenty-Four Hour Convenience Store. After all there was little prospect of her freezing to death, she was already dead anyways.

Aisaka Sayo cast her head downtrodden, something that was becoming ever more common these days. She had been at Mahora Academy for the last sixty-years, and for some reason, the loneliness of her situation seemed smothering. It was quite literally as if no one in the rest of the world knew that she existed.

Of course, a part of her was honest enough to admit that she continued to go about her days unnoticed sort of had something to do with the fact that she wasn't exactly a very good ghost to begin with. Even after sixty years she hadn't managed to quite figure out how to properly haunt anyone, even her own class!

"I'm pathetic," She mumbled sadly to herself.

"How so?" A voice asked suddenly from behind her.

Sayo shrieked in surprise as she spun around, her eyes widened in fear.

There, standing not two meters away from her, was a young man dressed in a jogging outfit. He was currently stretching his legs, but there was no denying that his words were directed at her, as his gaze never faltered.

"Gave you quite a scare did I?" The man asked.

It took Sayo a moment to realize that this was Magnus Locke-sensei, the councilor that had arrived at Mahora Academy a week earlier and had been helping Negi-sensei and the other students prepare for the midterms that were coming up today.

Still, that didn't explain why he was staring right at her and speaking to her.

"Uh…you can see me?" She asked weakly, still in shock over the revelation.

"Clear as day, well mostly," Magnus said with a chuckle as he finished his stretches. "A bit odd to see a ghost hanging around at a convenience store at this time in the morning."

"How is it that you can see me?" Sayo asked.

"Why is it that I find myself jogging around Mahora at five in the morning?" he asked instead.

The apparition shook her head dumbfounded.

The councilor merely chuckled again, "Because I can," He answered casually, "I'm Magnus Locke."

Sayo flushed slightly as she realized she had forgotten her manners, "Um…I'm Aisaka Sayo," She said bowing deeply, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Locke-sensei."

"Likewise," He said with a smile, looking at the convenience store for a moment as if he was about to make a decision and go in. Finally, he decided against it and merely looked back at the young girl, "I'm assuming you don't usually have the opportunity to have many conversations with people, do you?"

Her flush deepened, "I'm sorry, I mean, well you're the first person who's ever seen me….since." her stammering voice trailed off.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you with it," Magnus said apologetically, "I was only wondering if perhaps you would care to join me on my jog, we could talk a bit more then?"

"Oh…" She looked at him surprised not expecting that sort of invitation. "Well, sure that would be fine." She admitted.

"Good, I've been jogging around here for the last couple of days, but I still haven't quite gotten the layout down, someone who's a bit more familiar with Mahora would be perfect."

Sayo was momentarily awestruck, here for the first time that she could remember was someone who not only could see her, but was actually interested in spending time with her. How could she ever hope to decline such an invitation?

"Sure, I can show you around, Sensei!" She said with a smile.

"Good." Magnus said as he looked down the street from the convenience store, "I would appreciate that." with that the Magnus began his jog, with Sayo hovering close behind him.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

Hei watched as Magnus continued on his morning stroll, safely obscured from his vantage point from one of the four-story apartment complexes that littered the Academy. He seemed to be enjoying himself quite a bit this morning, talking to someone, but to whom he couldn't discern.

The last week of monitoring the mage without acting was infuriating to say the least. There were dozens of opportunities from which he could have killed this man, but he continued to abide to his master's orders.

Thankfully, after his brief conversation with Fate-sama, now he knew that he would be given free reign to finally eliminate this threat once and for all. He just had to wait for the perfect opportunity to reveal himself.

The most frustrating aspect was that each morning, the damned mage would take a different route, never repeating his treks two days in a row. It had made attempting to plan a proper ambush almost impossible.

He had thought about springing his attack on Locke during one of the central locations that he _had_ to transverse no matter what, but Hei had quickly dismissed such locals simply because they were generally too crowded to ensure that he could ensure the kill and attempt to escape without being noticed.

No he had to make look like Locke had simply run into the wrong people, without leaving too much evidence that it had been a _Minister Magi_ who had killed him.

More and more as he planned his attack on Locke, he was beginning to think that such a rouse would not be possible. Knowing Locke's accomplices as he did, he knew that once Magnus died, they would be suspicious that it had been at the hands of the people he was attempting to uncover. That couldn't be helped.

He sighed, his memory reciting everything that he had learned about his quarry over the last few days, resolving himself to committing the deed and worrying about the consequences later. Locke dead, no matter how inconvenient, was still a lot better than Locke alive.

Nodding his head as the final acknowledgement of what he was about to do, Hei stood and quickly leapt from rooftop to rooftop, waiting for his moment to strike.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

Magnus paused in his jog as he had to reframe from laughing uncontrollably.

"It's not funny!" Sayo snapped back as she saw the expression on Magnus's face.

"I'm sorry, Sayo-kun," Magnus allowed as he attempted to truncate the laughter that was beginning to escape. "It's just," he sniffled, "I've never met a ghost that was afraid of the dark that's all."

"It's not that I'm afraid of the dark," She defended, "Its just that the school makes such rickety noises late at night and it spooks me."

Finally, his laughter dissolved into a mild chuckle and he leaned against one of the building walls, "I'm sorry to laugh like that…you're very unusual for a ghost that's all, Sayo-kun."

"You sound like you've known a few?" She replied somberly.

Magnus shrugged, "I've come across one or two in my travels, but they were a bit more malevolent than you. You actually seem far more content. That's all."

"Ghosts are supposed to be malevolent!" She shrieked suddenly, then lowered her head disheartened, "I really am a terrible ghost, I didn't know I was supposed to be mean."

He couldn't help but chuckle at her display, "Well, I wouldn't get too worked up about it, Sayo-kun. From my experience, people are just as diverse in the afterlife as they are in the living. I wouldn't worry too hard about attempting to be anything but yourself."

"Really?" She asked, her hopes brightening.

Magnus smiled at her, the morning jog had turned into quite an interesting outing. He had felt a spiritual presence in Class 3-A, but given the times he had been in the classroom, he had never noticed Sayo. Still, after speaking with her, he realized just how troubled she seemed. If for nothing else than the fact that years of isolation were really catching up to her.

Magnus couldn't quite imagine how it must feel to be locked away from the world like she had been; witnessing everything that was going on around her without being able to truly interact with it. Still, the fact that she seemed to retain so much of her humanity was something truly remarkable, she was quite a strong girl, even if she thought otherwise.

"Locke-sensei," Sayo asked after a moment's silence, "You never did explain how it is that you can see me. I know that you _can_, but how is it?"

Magnus shrugged, "It's merely apart of who I am, I really couldn't explain much more than that." Not that he truly wanted to delve too deeply into what he had done to trigger his abilities to see departed souls.

"Well, I was just wondering…that if you could see me, there might be another way for others to see me too." Her voice trembled slightly, and Magnus gave her a concerned look as he shook his head.

"I wish it were so easy, Sayo-kun, but I'm afraid that's probably not possible."

She once again hung her head in defeat.

Despite himself, Magnus continued hurriedly, "Although, that's not to say that it's impossible though. The world is quite an amazing place, and in it there are quite an assortment of things that I do not even know about. Who knows, there might be a way for others to see you. After all, since it came to me naturally, there hasn't been much need for me to research into uncovering other ways for people to see ghosts."

"Oh." Sayo's expression looked hopeful, "Really?"

Magnus nodded, "I'm certain that there are ways." Magnus admitted, a small portion of his mind already chiding himself for giving into such an idiotic request. Necromancy was not something that was thrown around so easily, Magnus of all people in the world knew that best. Yet, try as he might, he felt compelled to please Class 3-A's resident specter.

Sayo was about to say something, but stopped suddenly, her head darting to her right and looking down the street. Magnus caught the change in her demeanor and followed her gaze. Immediately he propelled himself from the wall and into the middle of the street.

Standing ten meters away was a lone man dressed in a duster that covered much of his physique and a black mask concealed his features.

"Sayo," Magnus said softly, drawing the ghost's attention, "I think you need to leave right now."

"But…" She wanted to plead.

"Sayo, I need you to go find help, so please do that for me." Magnus stated as he stared at the masked figure.

The girl seemed split between what was being asked of her and what she truly wanted to do. Magnus knew that there was little this girl could do in either case, he would just prefer that the girl not be present for what was about to come.

Eventually, after much thought, Sayo nodded, "I'll get help!" She said finally before taking off.

With her safely gone, Magnus returned his undivided attention to the man before him. A slow smile crept upon his face as he stared at the masked man. "I don't suppose you came all this way just to have a friendly little chat now did you?" he asked offhandedly, his right hand slipping into his pant pocket and removing the talisman he kept near him at all times.

The man remained silent.

That wasn't good, Magnus concluded, this wasn't someone who was going to mess around. He breathed in deeply, summoning up the magical energy from the talisman and channeling them into a summoning spell.

Instantly, he felt the spell take root with weight filling his right hand as his weapon materialized.

Magnus' eyes widened though as halfway through the spell, he felt all the magic drain from his body, the weapon in his hand not fully manifesting. In fact, it took no visible form whatsoever.

He cursed silently as he looked down at the artifact, he could feel its weight in his hand, the large halbert that he had hoped to summon had indeed taken corporeal form, but it wasn't visible.

_What's going on?_ He thought. The spell should have transformed the talisman into his weapon, but it seemed to have stopped prematurely, for whatever reason he could not fathom.

"Quite an interesting little talent; an invisible artifact." The masked man's voice came out garbled and distorted. "Still, it will not save you from what is to come."

"I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you." Magnus said testing the weight of the weapon carefully.

The polearm for all intents and purposes had formed in every way but visible manifestation, which meant that he could still use it. He just would have to work out gauging the weapon's absolute length.

Moreover, he also had to worry about the weapon losing its potency. The magical spell would only allow for it to remain as it was for a short period, no doubt it was already deteriorating, which meant that he had to finish this quickly.

What's more, he had to do so that would leave this guy alive, people were a little difficult to interrogate if they were dead, even for Magnus. That would make things a little more complicated.

"It won't matter," The man said as he slowly advanced, "Your death is assured." With that, the man's left hand flew out, and Magnus was given just the barest of seconds to react as a trio of flechettes came flying at him.

Magnus leapt out of the way of the oncoming projectiles as they sailed past his head.

His focus was fixated on the flechettes that he barely had time to realize that the attacker had closed the distance in that split second. In both of his hands were nasty looking dirks.

_He's fast!_ Magnus thought as he swung the halberd around in a defensive lateral strike.

The attacker managed to leap backwards at the last moment, still the tip of the invisible glaive raked across his chest. The blade tore easily through the man's shirt, but almost immediately a series of sparks erupted from contact with whatever lay beneath.

_Armor!_ Magnus realized as the attacker took two additional steps backwards to distance himself, but it was only a momentary reprieve as he was already beginning to maneuver for his next strike.

"This might be fun." The attacker's muffled voice came as he chuckled humorlessly as he began pacing around Magnus.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

Sayo moved as quickly as she could, her mind racing to figure out how she was supposed to help Locke-sensei. She couldn't exactly run over to the nearest person and scream "help," no one knew she even existed.

Still, she had to do something, she wasn't about to let the only person who had been able to talk to her in the last sixty years end up hurt.

And who was that masked guy? Her mind wandered as she raced down the street. The aura he emitted was certainly one that sent a chill through the ghost. Locke-sensei seemed to think that the guy was dangerous and that was enough for Sayo.

But she had to do something!

She paused momentarily as she saw someone cross at the upcoming intersection. She doubled her efforts and was surprised to see someone from her class quickly pacing from one house to the next.

It took her a moment to realize that Kagurazaka Asuna was working her delivery route. She could possibly help Magnus-sensei, Sayo was certain of it. All she had to do was get Asuna's attention and guide her back to where she had left Magnus…

Then what? She realized that she had no idea what to do next? It seemed somewhat redundant to simply guide her class mate to where Magnus was in trouble only to have the girl also go seek help.

But what other choice was there? Sayo quickly concluded, there was nothing that she could do, she was alone and she couldn't communicate with anyone else. She had to act or Magnus-sensei could be seriously hurt.

She nodded quickly, realizing what she was going to have to do.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

Asuna smiled to herself as she delivered the last of her papers and sighed happily as she swung the empty newspaper bag around in one hand. It wasn't that bad of a morning, and it was giving her the opportunity to lose herself in her job and not have to worry about the coming mid-terms.

Except, now that the last newspaper had been delivered, her mind almost instantly reverted back to the doom and gloom of what she had awaiting her in just a few hours.

She had studied so hard, but it still seemed as if her efforts were still coming up short. She wasn't an idiot! She reminded herself for the millionth time, and even Negi had pointed out that she had the potential.

Yet, she still felt like she was coming up short.

A part of her mind quipped that perhaps she should have Negi cast that genius spell that he had tried to use on the class during the finals last semester.

She immediately realized that it probably wouldn't work, not with her ability to cancel magic in place at least.

She sighed, sometimes being immune to magic could be such a drag.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she was taken by surprise as she heard the crashing of several trash cans near the end of the block.

"Huh?" She thought as she realized that something had knocked them over. Puzzled she quickly ran towards them to see what had happened.

Once she got there, there was nothing really out of the ordinary, just a couple of trashcans that had been knocked over.

Another noise caught her attention, this time some bars rattling.

_What's going on here?_ Asuna thought whimsically, as she slowly began following the noise only to discover that nothing was out of the ordinary. _Are some kids trying to play a prank on me?_

Yet despite herself, she felt compelled to follow the strange noises that continued down two more blocks, until finally she heard a different noise, one that she had become increasingly more familiar with.

The shattering clang of metal striking metal.

Someone was fighting.

Without thinking, she quickly rushed towards the sound, her hand reaching into the pocket of her sweat pants and removing her _pactio_ card.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

"You're not too bad." The masked assailant complimented as he stood just out of reach of Magnus's halberd. His duster and much of his shirt and pants had various deep slashes torn into, but none appeared to draw blood. It seemed as if the man was entirely encased in armor, but how he was doing that, Magnus had yet to discover.

_His moves are too fast and fluid for it to be standard armor_. He thought as he realized that he was beginning to breathe deeper. He spared a glance at the white knuckled grip he maintained on the massive polearm in his hands noticing that they too were slowly becoming fatigued as well.

The assassin had tried numerous strikes and stabs in hopes of landing a fatal blow, but Magnus's experience in combat was keeping him at bay and more often than not the attacker was throw back on the defensive attempting to regain some ground.

_He certainly has potential_, Magnus thought, _but he's too reckless, a byproduct of his youth no doubt_. He thought, as he continued to stare into the featureless mask that the assassin wore.

The armor that the assassin possessed under his clothes was the only thing keeping the fight even. Otherwise, this would have been decided earlier.

Still, the fight was pressing on too long, and Magnus was beginning to feel the deterioration in the halberd with each strike. The magic, what little there was left after summoning the powerful weapon was slowly trickling out and if he couldn't figure out how to end this the tide was going to turn quickly.

"I think it is time we end this." The assassin said in the lingering silence, as he gripped his dirks tighter. As expected, the assassin came barreling in, one dirk held high the other low, thinking that he could deter Magnus with the two different strikes.

Being a veteran of the numerous wars and duels that Magnus had fought had taught him well. He took a single step back and quickly brought the polearm into a diagonal spin, using its superior reach to quickly throw the assassin off guard.

It was after Magnus had completed his swing, deflecting the lower dirk while following through to bringing the polearm up to repel the second dirk did the halberd finally fracture.

_You've got to be kidding me!_ Magnus snarled mentally as the weight shifted abruptly in his hand. Where the glaive was to strike the high attack, there was nothing to impede it as it was driven home.

Magnus gritted his teeth and winced painfully as the dirk dug into his left shoulder.

The assassin didn't remove it; instead he released his grip on the blade and leapt backwards as he had with his previous attack. There was a look of smugness in his mannerism as he looked to Magnus.

"Game over, my friend." He snarled as he lifted his weaponless hand and snapped his fingers.

Immediately, Magnus realized what was happening, he gawked down at the dirk and saw the magical rune appear inside the weapon.

Releasing the claymore, he brought his hands to cover the dirk, focusing all of his defensive barrier magic around the weapon.

Still the blistering white light seared him as the dirk's magical seal was released and it exploded.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Asuna gaped in horror as she rounded the corner and witnessed the sight before her.

A moment before she had almost been deafened by the explosion that rattled through the neighborhood. She had half expected to turn the corner and see a smoldering crater.

Instead, she came to see a man who was now leaning against the wall of the nearest building, blood gushing from a wound to his shoulder, while another man was standing further away holding a dagger in his hand.

"Well, that was almost too easy." The man holding the dagger chuckled. "I guess it's time we end this." With that he launched the dagger at the wounded man. It landed painfully into the man's chest, forcing him backwards.

Asuna was moving even before she realized what she was doing, "ADEAT!" she yelled and feeling the giant _harisen_ materialized into her hand as she threw herself into the fray.

Both men were clearly surprised by her intrusion.

The knife-wielding man, whose face was obscured by a black mask, took an involuntary step backwards as he sized up his attacker. His gaze shifted from Asuna to his intended victim, debating upon the proper course of action. Finally, he seemed to settle on his resolve as he lifted his left hand and snapped his fingers.

The momentary hesitation was enough for the wounded man to quickly remove the dagger that had buried itself into his chest and fling it just as the attacker snapped his fingers. The dagger glowed for a moment before exploded, against causing Asuna's ears to ring painfully, but otherwise she continued forward without hindrance.

With the attacker's focus on his victim, he had allowed Asuna to reach striking range and slammed her _harisen_ into him unabated.

The masked man raised his right arm to protect himself against the attack. At first it seemed to work as her artifact slammed into something hard, but then the _harisen_ glowed momentarily, and the man screamed in surprise as he threw himself away from the weapon.

Clutching his arm tenderly, he glared at Asuna, then back at his first victim. "Damnit, you got lucky this time." With that the man turned and rushed down the street.

Asuna was about to give chase, but suddenly remembered the other man. She turned and her expression paled as she recognized him. "Locke-sensei!" She cried out horrified.

Magnus supported himself against the residential building's brick exterior, a gaping wound in his left shoulder. Blood pulsed down his ruined jogging shirt and pants, pooling onto the ground. His chest was also soaked in blood from his right side as the other knife wound continued to bleed profusely.

Asuna froze in that moment as she witnessed the sight before, unable to think or act in that moment as Magnus merely wheezed painfully with every breath.

"Not too bad there, Asuna," Magnus grunted snapping the girl out of her trance.

Immediately, Asuna was by Magnus's side, assessing his injuries, "These are bad." She whispered looking at his shoulder.

Magnus managed to chuckle through the pain, "I've…had…worse." He wheezed, then his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he slumped forward.

Asuna grabbed him before he hit the ground, her mind racing to figure out what to do. The nearest hospital was clear across town. Looking at the injuries, she was afraid that he was going to bleed out before any help could arrive.

Gritting her teeth, she set him down and looked at the shoulder wound, pulling back strips of sticky, ruined fabric to examine the wound. It was deep and jagged, not like a blade cut. Her mind's eye suddenly remembered the exploding dagger that the attacker had used.

She felt bile rise in her throat as she realized that that had inflicted the wound. It also made her realize that stopping the bleeding was going to be difficult.

She took off her sweat shirt, feeling the cold breeze nip at her through her light t-shirt that she wore underneath as she quickly and carefully tore the fabric loose to use as a makeshift pressure bandage. After a couple of minutes and two different tries, she finally managed to work something that would at least slow the bleeding until she figured out her next step.

She then looked down at the knife wound in his lower chest. It wasn't as deep or vicious as the shoulder wound, but it too was almost as serious in terms of blood loss.

Shaking her head, she removed her jogging pants, leaving her only in her t-shirt and the running shorts to fend off the bitter cold of the morning air. Still, she knew she could handle a little cold if it could slow the bleeding.

_If Konoka were here she could just heal him_, she thought fleetingly as she wrapped the makeshift tourniquet over the wound slowing the bleeding.

"Now what do I do," She said softly out loud, looking around the residential area. Even with the two explosions that the assassin had detonated hadn't appeared to have woken anyone from their slumber.

_I'm losing time, and sensei's losing blood_. She thought bitterly attempting to assess her options. Apart of her thought perhaps dragging Locke back to the dorms and having Konoka try to heal him might be an option, but it was almost immediately nixed. The dorms were too far away for Asuna to drag the unconscious man.

She looked around once more, getting her bearings. Finally, a plan began to form in her mind, but it wasn't the sort that she necessarily enjoyed. It would most certainly mean asking a favor from someone whom she really didn't want to be indebted to, but this was serious and her options were limited.

Sighing heavily, she reached down and carefully reached for Magnus's uninjured arm. Her movements hindered momentarily as she looked at the tattered sleeve, and more specifically what was underneath it. Without thinking, she rolled the sleeve up to see that much of the arm had been turned to stone.

_When did this happen?_ She thought as she saw that much of Magnus's forearm was petrified.

She decided that she would worry about that later as she took his arm and slung it over her shoulder. Trying as carefully as she might to carefully lift his limp body up so that she could half carry/half drag him towards help. He was heavy, but she could manage, at least for the short distance she would have to travel. With a final heave of exasperation and fear she set off dragging Magnus down the street.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

Sayo watched in awe as Asuna continued to drag Magnus from where he had collapsed towards what appeared to be the edge of Mahora forest. In attempting to goad Asuna to help Magnus, she had never imagined that the girl might actually _attack_ the masked man, but for better or worse, it had driven the assailant off, leaving them with the next predicament.

A million thoughts had rushed through the apparition's mind, especially upon seeing so much blood seeping from the teacher's wound. Still, Asuna's actions were amazing. Not only had she fended off the attacker, but she had worked quickly to bandage the wounds. Even though Sayo had no clue where Asuna was taking Magnus-sensei, she was willing to put her faith in the young girl's instincts and attempted the best she could to help her on her journey.

Unfortunately, the only thing that she could manage was helping alleviate some of the unconscious teacher's weight so to make the trip less arduous. It seemed so trivial in comparison to everything else that was going on at the moment, but it was all she could do.

"Hold on, sensei, we're almost there." Asuna breathed as she continued to drag Magnus down the dirt path that led deeper into the forest, the cabin wouldn't be much further. Still, she had noticed that his weight had somehow lightened. She wondered if it was due to an adrenaline rush or something. "You just have to hold on." She continued to whisper encouraging words to the unconscious man who most likely had no idea what was happening around him. Perhaps it was more for her nerves than his.

Still, the chill that was creeping across her body was becoming ever more intense. She tried her best not to realize that the makeshift pressure bandages had reached their saturation point and were now seeping onto her own clothes.

Worse yet, was the smell as the blood cooled in the morning air and she felt the bile once again beginning to rise in her throat.

_Just a little longer, we're almost there_. She told herself as she limped forward into the clearing from the forest and into the personal dominion of the vampire Evangeline A.K. MacDowell.

_Bet the little bloodsucker can smell us a mile away_! Asuna thought, allowing bitterness to creep into her thoughts. Despite everything that Evangeline had done for Negi, her and everyone else; from the fight at Sukuna Lake, to helping Negi train, to allowing them to stay at her resort to study for midterms, there was always a flipside of the coin that continued to embitter the young redhead.

Perhaps what infuriated her more was the sheer pleasure that the little blonde vampire took in her forms of "payment" for her "generosity." First there had been the beating that she had forced Chachamaru to inflict upon Negi so that he could become her pupil. Then there was sucking Negi's blood as "tuition" for his training. The list ran on and on. She knew there was good in the little blonde nightmare, but it seemed to be blanketed over by maliciousness that Evangeline was only too eager to show to the rest of the world.

It made her dread to see what sort of perverse demands the witch would demand of either Asuna or Magnus from this.

Taking in one final breath to steel her resolve, she limped up the steps to Evangeline's log cabin to the front door and heavily rapped on the door.

At first there was no answer, and Asuna slammed her fist against the door again, "Evangeline! Chachamaru! Open up, it's an emergency!" She screamed, fear slithering into her heart as she wondered if they were at Evangeline's Resort, or worse, not even present.

That tension washed away quickly as the door opened and Asuna was greeted by the expressionless face of Karakuri Chachamaru. "Kagurazaka-san?" She inquired surveying the scene before her, "What has happened?"

"Locke-sensei was attacked near here, he's really hurt, is Evangeline around?"

"What's with all the racket!" screeched a voice from the second floor.

"Yes, My Master is present," Chachamaru acknowledged looking at Magnus's lifeless body, then turning. "Master, Kagurazaka Asuna and Magnus Locke-sensei are here. Locke-sensei appears to have sustained critical injuries."

There was a long pause, followed immediately by hurried footfalls coming from the central staircase that led to the upper floor. Within the span of a handful of heartbeats, Evangeline was standing at the doorway, looking at the two disheveled masses with an emotionless mask.

"Why did you bring him here?" She asked her tone sharp and bitter.

"He was attacked near here," Asuna fired back "his injuries are pretty bad, I didn't think he would make it to the hospital."

She digested those words, but her gaze only hardened, "Well that's not my problem. Take him somewhere else."

Asuna felt her hands balling into fists. "What do you mean it's not your problem!" She balked, "He'll die if you don't do anything!"

"Then he dies." Evangeline said, turning on her heel and proceeding back into the cabin.

Asuna's reaction was instantaneous. Without thinking, she set Magnus's body down and lunged forward, grabbing the girl by the collar of her pajama top and spinning her around only to slam her directly into the nearest wall.

Evangeline glared at the girl before her, startled—and slightly impressed—by her crassness that Asuna would have to challenge her.

"I won't let you simply let him die!" She snarled viciously, "If you have the ability to save him, then that is what you should do. It's the right thing to do!" She spat.

Evangeline merely shook her head, "See that's where you're mistaken Kagurazaka," she seethed, "I _don't_ have to do a damned thing." She looked at Magnus crumpled, bloodied body. "Either take him somewhere else to get help, or just leave him in the forest for the scavengers, but don't you think that you can come in here and just make it appear as if I'm somehow obligated to help him—or you, for that matter—just because you got into a tussle with the wrong people."

Asuna glared hatefully at the petite girl, their eyes locked. Finally, the hateful gaze shifted, catching Evangeline by surprise.

Biting her lip, Asuna finally spoke. "Please, Evangeline. Save him…I'll do anything, I just can't let him die like this."

Evangeline looked at the girl before her, her own expression lost as she looked into Asuna's eyes. "You know what you're saying don't you."

She nodded, "I'll be indebted to you, please just save him."

Evangeline looked from Asuna to where Magnus lay then back to the girl. "Are you sure about this? Owing me a favor is not something that comes lightly, and to do so for _his_ sake of all things. You would be better off just letting him die."

"I can't!" She snapped, "I can't let someone die when he can be saved!"

Evangeline sighed heavily, realizing that there would be no convincing this girl once she had made up her mind. "Fine," she grunted looking over to her _ministra magi_, "Chachamaru, pick up the dead weight and carry him to the basement."

The android nodded, "Of course, master." She said as she turned and lifted Magnus's unconscious form.

Asuna followed quickly behind them as they proceeded down the stairs.

"Where are you taking him?" She asked as they passed through various basement rooms.

"If I'm going to do anything for him, it'll have to be in the Resort." Evangeline admitted as she entered the furthest room from the basement stairs.

It was vacant, all except for the large glass miniature that resided in the middle of the room. The small girl turned back to her companions, "Chachamaru, wait three minutes before entering the Resort, understood?"

"Of course, Master."

With that Evangeline disappeared in a glowing light.

Asuna looked over Magnus's injuries, feeling the pressure bandages carefully, grimacing as the blood seemed to be flowing freely again.

Chachamaru examined her actions with interest as her right hand slowly reached over and pressed itself against his carotid artery. "His pulse is very low, and his core body temperature is dropping." She said indifferently.

Asuna bit her lower lip as they waited the three minutes that Evangeline specified. Those were the longest three minutes of her life as she watched as Magnus's features continued to grow ever paler.

"It's time." Chachamaru finally said as she stepped forward, Asuna was right behind her and unbeknownst to either of them so did Sayo.

A brilliant white light washed over them and when it diminished, they were standing on the teleportation platform, warm summer heat washing over them.

Evangeline was standing there as well, several vials in her hands as she rushed over to them.

"Set him down Chachamaru." Evangeline commanded.

The green-haired android girl complied quickly.

"I was afraid of that." Evangeline said as she pressed a hand against his cheek. Still, she wasted no time as she uncorked one of the vials and downed its contents in Magnus's mouth. He coughed once, but then the blue liquid finally went down.

"That'll stabilize him," Evangeline said slowly, "But it's only temporary. Chachamaru, we need to get him inside."

"Understood, master," She acknowledged as she once again lifted the injured man and raced him towards the resort's tower.

In the three minutes that they had waited in cabin's basement, seventy-two minutes had elapsed for Evangeline, and that time had not been wasted Asuna realized as they escaped the warm artificial sun and entered the resort's covered gazebo.

Stretched out immediately was a low sitting bed with a table arranged next to it with more vials filled with various colored contents.

"Set him down on the bed." Evangeline instructed, afterwards she quickly pulled away the makeshift bandages along with the remainder of his shirt exposing the intricate tattoo across his bloodied body, as well as the petrified right limb.

Evangeline took it all in. He was in really bad shape. She had known that the tattoo would be there, but the petrified arm, and the dagger wounds, compounded by the blood that soaked his body. "Really got caught up with the wrong people this time around now didn't you Mathias." Her voice was low, but Asuna could still here her words.

The puncture wound in his lower ribs was the least serious; she merely took a vial with amber colored contents, uncorked it and poured it into the wound.

Magnus's body heaved painfully as the potion worked its way into his body, but almost immediately the bleeding ceased though.

Now it was time for Evangeline took focus on the shoulder wound.

It looked like something had exploded from inside him. Still, it was more than treatable. Evangeline looked up from Magnus to Asuna. "Kagurazaka, grab that bowl near the end of the table." She glanced over to her _ministra magi_, "Chachamaru, hold his legs so he doesn't thrash about too much." The gynoid obeyed with the efficiency that Evangeline had come to expect of her.

Asuna looked at the vampire girl in surprise, but still quickly walked over to the table and picked up the instructed bowl, "This one?" She asked. Evangeline nodded quickly as Asuna came rushing towards the bed, momentarily pausing as she saw how quickly the pristine white sheets were down a dark crimson.

"I need you to spread the contents of the bowl into the wound." Evangeline stated.

"What! Me?" She snapped horrified.

Evangeline glared at the girl, "You said you didn't want him to die, this is how you do it. Spread the contents of the bowl into the wound, it will cause it to heal and he'll live." Then a vicious smile formed on her face, "Unless you want to just watch him bleed out from this injury, I'm fine with it either way."

"Why can't you do it!" Asuna snapped looking pale.

"Because it's going to hurt like hell for him, and he's going to thrash around a lot, I'm going to need to restrain him while you do it." She explained angrily. "Now do it!" She snarled.

Asuna looked at the nauseous wound, her eyes suddenly widening in surprise as she saw a wraithlike outline of the tattoo that covered the teacher's body suddenly glow above the wound. _What is with that tattoo?_ She thought unconsciously.

Realizing that she was losing focus and stalling, she shook herself violently to banish the thoughts that were attempting to slow her progress. Swallowing hard, Asuna took the small spatula-like instrument from the bowl and scooped a generous amount of the emerald paste and spread it into the shoulder wound. Her stomach dropping as she did so.

As Evangeline had warned, Magnus's body recoiled forcefully from the intrusion of the substance, but the vampire held him in place with remarkable strenght, keeping him from bucking wildly.

"Keep pouring it in," Eva commanded as she and Chachamaru held him down. "You have to fill the entire cavity with it."

She continued to do as she was told, and after a while, Magnus's throes became less violent as the medicine took effect until finally was laying quietly, the bleeding stopped and the magical elixirs that Evangeline concocted taking hold.

Asuna leaned back on the bed, sweat beading down her face as she looked down at the now empty bowl, her heart was racing as she stared at Magnus's prone body. His body was still covered in drying blood, but he was no longer bleeding.

"Thank you, Evangeline-san." Asuna said weakly looking up to the blonde girl.

"Remember, you owe me now, Kagurazaka Asuna." She said instead, looking down at her blood-covered arms. Asuna had a sick feeling that the girl would start licking the blood of her arms any moment, but instead she stared at the substance with disgust.

"He really wasn't worth saving." She said as she turned on her heel and headed towards the inner stairway, "You'll have to look after him from here on out. I've completed my part of the agreement. He's your problem now." With that she descended into the heart of the tower.

Chachamaru stayed for a moment to look at Asuna's ruined clothing. "If you would like, Kagurazaka-san, I can have a change of clothing brought for you so I can take your clothes and have them cleaned for you."

She looked down at her blood-stained shirt and shorts and nodded grimly. "Um, thanks Chachamaru-san." She said after a moment, looking back at Magnus's sleeping form. "Um, can I ask you something personal?"

"Personal, Kagurazaka-san?" She asked momentarily surprised.

"If you'll excuse me, but would you happen to know why Evangeline-san hates Locke-sensei so much?"

Chachamaru was silent for a long moment, attempting to determine just how to appropriately respond to such a question. On the one hand she wanted to answer the question truthfully, but the other she had to honor her master's privacy. Finally, she computed a proper response.

"From my understanding, Locke-sensei and my master share an acquaintanceship of sorts. Of the specific details I do not know. The only other information I have pertaining to Magnus Locke is that Takahata-sensei informed me that he was a dangerous individual who participated with Cosmo Entelecheia in the Great Magical War twenty years ago."

Asuna looked to Chachamaru with a confused expression. Much of what she had said flying completely over her head. But after a moment, she nodded somberly, "Thank you, Chachamaru-san."

"You're welcome Kagurazaka-san." The android acknowledged, "If you would like, I can have you change in one of the guest rooms."

"Will he be all right?" She asked.

"I will have one of my sisters look after him in your absence. Please, now, it is not very sanitary for you to be dressed like that."

Once again Asuna looked down at her clothes and nodded absently. Casting one final look at Magnus she stood up and followed the android into the tower.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

The maelstrom had suddenly died, and now the world was collapsing upon itself. Massive chunks of free floating stone came crashing to the ruined palace's floor smashing even more of the already crumbling structure.

Still, the young girl hardly cared; her focus instead was on the broken and bleeding man who had slammed into the ground some fifty meters away. She broke free of her guardians and quickly rushed forward.

"Princess-chan!" she heard them call back to her, but she paid them no heed. Instead, she focused solely on the man ahead of her, and the fact that he wasn't moving where he lay.

"Mathias!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice barely traveling over the bedlam of the collapsing palace.

She skidded to a halt suddenly as a large section of the flooring gave way directly in front of her, opening a chasm some two meters wide. She glared at the embargo, determination crossing her features as she took three steps back then rushed forward.

"Princess wait!" Screamed yet another of her protectors, but again she paid no heed as she landed, bending her knees and rolling onto the other side.

Back on her feet she continued onward, raising one hand to shield her eyes as torrents of debris that continued to rain down upon her, almost making Mathias's body disappear into the dense haze that appeared.

Finally though, she stopped, her eyes set upon the crumpled body of the man who had been both her kidnapper and her savior.

The first thing she saw were his wings, once angelic and beautifully white; now were ruined, shattered and bloodied. The armor that he had worn not fifteen minutes earlier lay splintered and destroyed. His body underneath was burnt and blistered. Whatever he had just gone through, she doubted that she could ever imagine.

"Mathias!" She yelled as she knelt next to him, carefully rolling him over to see his face. His face was a bloodied mess, with his platinum white hair streaked with dark crimson. Still in all the disfigurement and abuse that he had just endured, his ruby-colored eyes looked at her with contentment.

"I…did…it, princess." He heaved painfully; every breath he sucked in filled him more and more with pain. "The world…is what we make of it."

Despite herself, she felt warm tears trickle down her cheeks as she looked at him. This man, who had been the enemy of the world, now had sacrificed everything to not only save her but everyone else.

She heard hurried footsteps approaching her. Looking over her shoulder she could see Nagi approaching, his body beaten and bruised, but despite all of that he looked as ever confident as always.

"You actually did it," Nagi said as he approached his nemesis. "I didn't think you had it in you."

Mathias managed a guarded chuckle, "Yeah, well I didn't have much of a choice now did I." He wheezed painfully as his body suddenly wrenched.

"Mathias!" the young princess screamed her features paling.

"It's nothing," The pain in his strained voice said otherwise.

The young girl looked down at Mathias's battered body and yelped in surprise forcing the others to gaze upon what had truly happened to the demon in those long minutes that he had spent inside the vortex.

"You absorbed it!" Nagi snapped incredulously.

Mathias's body spasmed painfully as he attempted to bring the magical energy that was coursing through him under control. Despite his efforts though his skin to begin to glow brightly.

"He can't control the magical energy that he consumed," Albireo Imma stated, limping forward with the aid of Konoe Eishun.

"What's that mean!" the princess asked looking to each of her guardians.

"It means he's going to die." Nagi said somberly.

"Can't you save him?"

"Why should we," Eishun demanded normally the voice of reason for the group, "He's tried to kill us on numerous events, and he's also the one who kidnapped you so you could be a sacrifice for the Mage of the Beginning to destroy the world!"

"It wasn't like that!" the princess demanded, "He saved me!"

Nagi looked down upon the man before him, staring into those crimson eyes that looked back at him.

"Just get out of here." Mathias snarled through clinched teeth, "I'll hold onto it long enough so you can get out, then…" He shook his head, sweat pouring from his brow, "The release will be catastrophic, but it won't destroy the world now." He looked to the princess, her terrified expression one of the first emotional responses he had ever seen in the girl. "Nagi, take the princess and get the hell out of here."

Nagi stood there for a long time, looking at Mathias squarely. This had been the man whom time and again had challenged _Ala Rubra_ as they attempted to bring the terrible war to a close. He was an instrument created by the Lifemaker, and one of Cosmos Entelecheia's chief generals throughout these long years. His hands were drenched in the blood of thousands upon thousands.

Now though, he had given it all up…for what reason, Nagi could only imagine.

After a moment, the Thousand Master couldn't help but chuckle as he stared down at the demon who quite literally had become his nemesis over these tenuous years. "Yeah, that plan sounds all good and dandy, but I don't care for it too much. The whole thing about you dying somehow doesn't sit well for me."

"What are you saying!" both Eishun and Mathias snapped in tandem.

"Well, I can't exactly let you die and get all the glory for saving the world, now can I?" He asked with a lopsided grin then looked over to the princess, "And besides, you go ahead and die here and the little princess will be sad. So how about we just seal away your magic and everyone gets to go home. Sound like a deal?"

Mathias looked at the man before in complete and utter shock. Despite the overwhelming agony that filled him, Mathias couldn't help but snort a laugh. "You really are a fool, you know that Nagi."

"Yeah, well we can talk about that afterwards, okay." Nagi said as he looked over to his companions, "Al, you got enough strength left in you to help me out."

Albireo looked at Nagi Springfield for a long moment then to the crumbling landscape before finally shrugging, "Why not, things aren't exactly exciting enough around here now are they."

The princess looked up, tears continuing to trickle down her cheeks. "Thank you so much." She whispered.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

Asuna eyes fluttered open into the evening moonlight as she suddenly leapt forward.

_What the hell was that?_ She thought as she attempted to remember the dream that was quickly fading from her mind. _Where was that?_ Thousands of questions riffled through her mind as she attempted to make sense of it.

_That was Negi's dad, I'm sure of it. _She thought as she attempted to piece together fragments of the rapidly fading dream.

A sudden movement caught her attention and she snapped her head over to the bed just a few meters away, where to her surprise she saw Evangeline sitting on the side of the bed, looking down at the sleeping form of Magnus Locke.

Asuna quickly got up, causing to vampire girl to look over to her. "Don't worry, I'm not going to drink his blood." She snorted, hopping off the side of the bed.

Despite herself, she was actively surprised to the girl here in the middle of the night. It had been three days at the resort since they had treated Magnus and he still hadn't regained consciousness. His injuries were healing, but even with the aid of the magical elixirs that Evangeline had whipped up, it was still going to require time for the counselor to heal completely.

"What are you doing here, Eva-chan?" Asuna asked attempting to shake the fog of sleep from her mind.

"Watch it with the 'Eva-chan' comment, Kagurazaka." Evangeline hissed as she paced around the bed her eyes fixed momentarily at Magnus for a moment before finally returning to the young girl. "Don't ask me why, but I was just checking to see that the medicine was working that's all." She shrugged, "I can't have it not work, it would void your debt to me," she said quickly.

Asuna walked closer to the bed, looking down at Magnus's sleeping body; the injuries had been bandaged just to make certain that they healed properly. And Asuna had been changing them regularly as well as making certain that he was comfortable. Still, she seemed to be at her wit's end after everything that had happened.

"Evangeline," Asuna said after a moment, "Thank you again for helping him."

The other girl merely snorted, "trust me, I'll get my worth out of it, don't go needlessly thanking me over something like this."

"Can I ask you a question though?"

"What is it?"

"Why do you hate Locke-sensei so much?"

Evangeline looked like she was going to bite back a quick retort, but paused momentarily, glaring at the redhead then looking back down at the unconscious man. In the end she shook her head. "Consider this the first payment on your debt: don't ever ask me another question like that, all right." She said as she turned on her heel and headed back towards the staircase.

Asuna watched her go, surprised by her actions. She had seen a myriad of emotions suddenly flash across the vampire's face, some of them unreadable, but the one that she knew she had seen had been regret. What really had happened between these two she wondered?

"~*~*~*~*~*~ "

Another two days passed before Magnus finally awoke.

He groaned warily as he leaned forward, his body aching from the abuse.

"You're awake, Locke-sensei." came a disembodied voice.

Magnus looked around and smiled slightly as he gazed upon Aisaka Sayo hovering near the bed. "You know, being greeted by a ghost when one first wakes up can send all kinds of wrong messages."

The youthful appearing apparition yelped in surprise. "Oh, I'm very sorry, I didn't mean anything…" she began babbling, but Magnus quickly raised a hand to calm her down.

"It was a joke Sayo-kun, I'm grateful for your concern."

"Oh," She said abashed, "You had me pretty scared there for a while." The ghost said earnestly.

"How long was I out?" He asked, his eyes gazing at his ragged body. His entire upper body was completely bare revealing not only his magical array, but also the petrified right arm.

_Damnit, it's gotten worse_. He thought as he stared at the cursed limb. Despite himself, the curse had continued to spread during his rest, millimeter by millimeter, and the pain was beginning to become more and more excruciating. He tested his reflexes in his hand and fingers. He still had feeling in them, that was a good sign, but if he didn't do something soon about the arm he was going to have to take drastic action with it, assuming that it hadn't spread so much that it was now beyond his ability to fix by his own means.

He looked over to his shoulder, now bandaged. He inspected the wrappings, parting them carefully so he could see the flesh below.

"Um, I don't think you should do that?" the ghost said looking at his actions.

"I'll be fine." He retorted, "But please, Sayo-kun, how long was I out?"

"Um, well they brought you here about four days ago." She explained.

"Four days." Magnus repeated the words carefully, his gaze settling on his surroundings, his brow furrowing after a moment. "Who brought me here?"

"Um, well…that's a bit of a story." The girl explained.

"I believe I need to hear it." He said.

"Well, after that guy appeared and you told me to get help…I sort of ran into Kagurazaka Asuna. I managed to get her to follow me hoping that she would go get help…but that's not really what happened."

Magnus stared at the girl levelly, "Was she hurt?" He asked his voice growing cold.

Sayo yelped in surprise, "Well no, but she rushed right in and this giant _harisen_ appeared and she actually went after the guy that was attacking you. She managed to drive him off, but you had been hurt." She rambled off with staccato quickness.

"Yeah, I think I remember that part, Sayo-kun." Magnus said as he looked at the healed flesh underneath the bandages. "Everything else though is pretty much a haze."

"Well, Kagurazaka-san carried you into the woods to this log cabin that McDowell-san lives and she took you into the basement where she had this miniature…" this was where the girl seemed somewhat confused. "Well, there was a blinding light and then we were here." She said waving her hands to encompass her surroundings.

"A pocket dimension." Magnus explained with a nod. "Eva was always good at making those." He said as he kicked his feet over the edge of the bed and tested his weight carefully.

"Should you be walking?" Sayo asked.

"Well, I can't stay in bed forever, now can I?"

"But your injuries!" She demanded.

Magnus shrugged, "I heal quickly and with the magical energy that's surging through here, I'll be in good shape." He looked down at the pajama bottoms that he wore, self-conscious of his bare chest and the magic array that engulfed it. After looking around quickly, he realized that there would be little opportunity for him to do anything about it.

_Priorities_. He reminded himself as he tested his footing. His body ached, but otherwise seemed to respond without much difficulty.

Still, as he walked out from the open promenade, he still found himself swaying enough in his gate that he had to stabilize by leaning against one of the stone pillars. His eyes momentarily blinded by the morning sun that was rising over the eastern ocean.

_She actually recreated this place_. He thought as he breathed in deeply the salty air. _It's been what…two centuries since I last saw this place_. Despite himself he felt the nostalgia nipping at him as he paced towards from the central courtyard.

_If she recreated this place properly then…_sure enough there standing proudly in the center of the courtyard was the giant obelisk.

Despite himself, he couldn't hold back the slight smile that spread across his face as he walked forward, the cool stone feeling upon his bare feet invigorating as he approached the obelisk.

He stopped directly in front of the obelisk, instinctively he reached out and touched its cool surface. The smile spreading as he looked up its length, a chuckle of genuine laughter escaping him lips as he was overjoyed by the fact that this was reality, not merely a dream.

"Um, sensei is something the matter?" Sayo asked behind him, completely oblivious to what was going through the man's head at that moment.

"Oh," He said realizing that he wasn't alone, "No, Sayo-kun. This place…has special meaning for me." He explained as he looked back at the obelisk, "It might be a replication of the actual location, but it feels real enough." He grinned as he paced around the obelisk. "I never thought I would ever see this place again." He admitted.

After a long pause, he finally made up his mind. He tore at the bandages.

"Sensei, what are you doing!" Sayo stammered in horror over the sound of shredding fabric. The gentle summer breeze quickly took the discarded dressing and carried it out to sea.

With the bandages freed from his body, he got his first good look at the injuries inflicted upon him by the unknown attacker.

Most of the wounds had healed completely, leaving behind pink discolorations and tenderness, reminders that his injuries had mostly healed. Though as he knew all too well, mostly healed and completely healed might as well be polar opposites in his opinion as he tested his arm's strength carefully. The muscles were stiff and sore from the light exertion he forced upon them, and he repressed the wince of pain as his arm burned in retaliation for his abuse.

His ribs on his right side were in similar states, with a much thinner scar to identify the injury. The pain and stiffness that burned at him under that scar was another testimony of what he had survived.

_Let's see if I've still got it_. He thought, ignoring the pain has he brought his right hand forward, closed his eyes and enchanted words that he had not used in far too long.

At first nothing happened, but then after a breathless moment, a brilliant light glowed in his hands, until it finally diminished and within his grasp resided a massive polearm. The wooden staff was nearly two meters in length, with a large, curved blade extruding forward another half meter. The base of the polearm was perfectly balanced to coincide with the weight differential of the vicious blade.

_This much magical energy flowing around here, I bet I could summon just about any weapon._ He thought as he tested the weapon's weight in his hand carefully. It spun with a masterful grace as Magnus swung it experimentally.

Sayo looked at the spectacle with amazement. "Locke-sensei, what are you?" She asked as she saw the casualness of his movements.

Magnus stopped in his movements long enough to look back at the apparition. "Now that my dear, truly is a long story." He said with unmitigated glee as he twirled the weapon one-handed.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

Evangeline grunted angrily as she reached the top of the spiral staircase and entered the covered gazebo to find the entire area vacant. Kagurazaka had ended up sleeping the night before in one of the tower's interior quarters on the behest of Chachamaru.

The vampire girl was slightly frustrated at her _ministra magi_ extending such courtesies to an interloper like Kagurazaka, but she let the thought pass as she realized that the other interloper to her resort was now missing.

_Where'd that fool go running off too!_ She mentally spat, then paused as she heard a peculiar sound in the early morning air.

Unconsciously, she began moving towards the sound, towards the center of the tower. Her steps slowed at the sight before her.

There, in the middle of the obelisk plaza was Mathias, working through a series of _katas_ with the unmistakable polearm that he had favored since she had known him. Almost without thinking, she watched him as he went through his routines. For the most part, he shifted from one exercise routine to the next without much hindrance, but her memory was sharp and so were her eyes as she watched him. despite herself, she smiled slightly as she realized that she could once again recite the sequence of routines he continued to perform.

Yet, for all their familiarity these _katas_ were slightly different different. A part of her mind was willing to chalk it up to the slight nuances in his physical appearance. The body that Mathias now possessed was leaner and a little bit taller than the one she remembered so long ago. Still, that didn't explain everything away. She realized that his technique was rigid, too forced. He was focusing more on the task and not leaving it to his muscle memory to do the work for him.

_He's rusty_. She thought somberly as he continued through his motions oblivious of his audience.

As he continued through his routine her mind began to drift back all those long years ago, when she remembered a scene very much like this. She watched him hour on end working on his technique. She had found it rather monotonous at times, while at others she found it mesmerizing.

She also remembered vividly telling him that there were far more _entertaining_ things that Mathias could do with his time than twirling around a simple piece of wood. She chuckled as the memory danced through her mind.

Realizing what she had just done, she quickly reigned in her emotions, but the damage was done. Mathias stopped in his routine and was now looking at her.

_They're green now_, she thought as she stared back at those eyes, so familiar yet different from what she remembered.

"It's good to see you again Evangeline," He said, even his voice sounded different, a slightly deeper baritone than she remembered. "I see that you're doing well."

The words were neutral enough, but it was his tone that instantly set her teeth on edge. "Apparently so," She snapped back her temper flaring, "I've just been stuck at this miserable school for the last fifteen years."

The lopsided smirk that appeared did nothing to defuse the situation. "I suppose there's something to that." He said looking around the plaza. "Well that would explain why you're pocket dimensions are still as amazing as ever. You've had quite some time to perfect it."

Her hands had balled into fists as she glared at him. "Quite patronizing me, you bastard!" She snarled, "God, I should have simply let you bleed to death!"

His smirk broadened, "Then why didn't you?" He sniped, "Some lingering feelings for me changed your mind?"

"If you must know, you can thank Kagurazaka for that misfortune." Evangeline hissed, "I warned her that your worthless hide wasn't worth incurring a debt with me, but she insisted. What a stupid girl." She grated, "Going to all that trouble to save some miserable monster who's so helpless that he needs to rely upon the pleas of a fourteen-year-old girl to keep him alive. My how the mighty have fallen." She felt a vicious grin blossoming as she saw the smirk disappear and his features darken. "Oh did I hit a nerve?"

"You're one to talk, Evangeline." Mathias shot back, "Nagi told me how he managed to trick you into your curse here. I would have expected someone of your advanced years would have learned, but I guess that's to be expected." He shrugged, "You were always one to be easily distracted by a pretty face."

Now her nails were biting into her palm as the rage boiled over her, but after a moment she hissed a sigh. "I might be trapped at this damned school, but at least I can still defend myself." She cast a disparaging glare at the petrified arm, "You might have your precious _freedom_ Mathias, or should I call you 'Magnus Locke,'" she shook her head sickening, "You always had such a vain ego, but as I was saying. Even with your freedom to traipse around the world, you still are hardly in a position to protect yourself." She grunted turning on her heel. "I might feel sorry for you if you weren't so damned pathetic."

Evangeline proceeded back towards the stairs that she had come from, but before she reached them she turned back to face Mathias. "As much as I loathe your very existence; I should have the antidote for the petrification spell finished by the end of the day, afterwards you can leave."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," Mathias snapped back, "I wouldn't want someone as high and mighty as yourself to go to all the trouble for someone as _pathetic _as myself."

"Oh, I'm not doing this for you." She countered, "Kagurazaka's debt comes from me saving your miserable life. I can't very well do that if you suddenly turn to stone." She paused one final time before she descended into the tower's inner sanctum. "As well, fetch yourself a bath, I know vermin that smell better than you." And with that she was gone.

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

Magnus had only had the pleasure of meeting Karakuri Chachamaru in passing. He had been casually informed by Takamichi that the girl was an android and, given Evangeline's predisposition towards dolls and marionettes, it came as little surprise that the gynoid should be her _ministra magi_. At first, Magnus was more than willing to write off the android as nothing more than a mindless automaton, but that thought was soon dispelled as he came face-to-face with the tall, light haired girl.

Dealings with any of Evangeline's servants were nothing new to Magnus, in fact he still harbored some lingering memories of some of her more _eccentric_ marionettes throughout the years, but Chachamaru didn't seem to fit the criteria, at least not implicitly.

"Master wished for me to escort you to the bath house, Locke-sensei." The gynoid said, bowing respectfully. While her tone was neutral and her mannerisms near perfect, Magnus could sense the unease in her demeanor. It was something that surprised him to say the least. His knowledge of advanced robotics and cybernetics was limited, but to the best of his abilities he didn't believe that androids were capable of understanding, let alone expressing, emotion.

Yet for the life of him, he could sense the underlining tension and anxiety radiating from this android. At first he was willing to write it off as him _wanting _Chachamaru to be tense around him, as a holdover from his argument with Evangeline just minutes earlier. But he knew that wasn't the truth. He had learned long ago to trust his first impression, and not to second-guess himself.

Chachamaru was unnerved by Magnus, and for the life of him he felt little concern about the anxiety. Thus he merely nodded, "Of course, Karakuri-kun. Please lead the way."

"Then please follow me, Locke-sensei." The android bowed then turned, leading Magnus into the intricate labyrinth of the tower.

He marveled as they passed through the staircases, rooms passing as they continued their steady pace. So much of it was familiar to him. Granted, the ornamentation and arrangement had changed slightly, so had some of Evangeline's personal tastes, but it was all a perfect representation of the old home that he remembered, so many lifetimes ago.

Chachamaru finally came to a halt before a vaulted entryway. "A bath has been drawn for you, Locke-sensei." She said bowing once again, then she stared at him for a moment, her face expressionless. "Master has also requested a change of clothes for you. A suit to your measurements will be waiting for you in the changing room. Do you need any further assistance?"

Magnus shook his head as he paced past the android. "I believe I can remember how to bathe myself, Karakuri-kun. Thank you." He said, his voice carrying with it a slight edge. Then he paused and stared back at her, "Please give Evangeline my compliments."

The android bowed once again and without another word left the bathhouse.

Even the grand bathhouse that had been built almost as an atrium to the tower's inner sanctum still carried with it the beautiful mosaics that the original tower had possessed, Magnus thought as he disrobed and eased himself into the comfortably warm water.

He lavished in the bathhouse for perhaps thirty minutes, his muscles aching both from his injuries and his impromptu training regimen grateful for the respite. Afterwards, as the android had informed him, he found a business suit, no doubt freshly created and pressed, waiting for him in the changing room. He was even more surprised to see that Evangeline had even been considerate enough to provide a pair of white gloves as well.

He stared down at his palms, the magical array blatantly visible across his hands. There had been a time when he hadn't concerned himself so much about the physical blemishes that he had incurred throughout his life, but the magical array…

He pushed the thought aside and dressed quickly. There was no time to concern himself about trivial issues. Despite everything, he had to focus on events now.

He now had a lead, and he had to follow it through. Given the fact that they were currently within a pocket dimension, the time displacement could mean that the evidence was still fresh in the real world. He had to know just how much time had transpired…if the evidence was fresh enough then there was some hope that they could track down his attacker and maybe lead them towards whoever had infiltrated Mahora.

It was all speculation and uncertainties; something that continued to bother him as he finished dressing and began to leave the bathhouse.

Sure enough, Chachamaru was waiting for him as he exited the entryway. Once again, she bowed politely, but Magnus could still sense that lingering trace of something not so emotionless about the girl's mannerism.

"Master has asked me to escort you to breakfast." The gynoid stated, "I'm afraid that My Master will not be able to attend, but Kagurazaka-san is waiting."

Magnus nodded once again, and obediently played "follow the android" through the interior of the tower until he came before the palatial dining hall.

As Chachamaru had indicated, Asuna was already present, examining the Western-style cuisine that was arranged on one end of the table. Her eyes though immediately snapped to the two of them as they entered the room.

"Locke-sensei!" She snapped upright in her seat, walking towards them. Her expression was a mixture of concern and exuberance. "How are you doing? I woke up and Chachamaru-san told me you were awake."

"I'm fine," Magnus said simply.

His tone immediately stopped Asuna dead in her tracks, the exuberance vanishing to be replaced by confusion at his harsh tone. "Um, are you sure, you've been asleep for the last five days, and you're injuries…" She began

"I heal quickly." He replied, "And whatever medicine that Evangeline and you used on me certainly helped. But you should never have entered into any sort of pact with Evangeline." His said acidly.

"But, you would have died if I hadn't!" Asuna shot back, shocked. "And besides, owing Evangeline a favor isn't _that _bad."

Magnus's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't attempt to placate what you've done." He scolded angrily, "Owing Evangeline is dangerous. Don't attempt to delude yourself into thinking that she's some sort of nice person, if she can exploit you to her needs, she will."

Asuna gawked at him in surprise, "If I hadn't made a deal with her you would be dead!" She retorted.

"Then that was what should have happened." Magnus said levelly.

She stared at him, totally at a loss of words. Was he _insane_! How in the world could he simply stand there and tell her that she should have let him die.

She glared at him in disbelief. "Look," she snapped, "I don't care what you think Locke-sensei! You were dying and I did what I had to do to make certain that you survived! It was my decision to make a deal with Evangeline and I don't regret it one bit. And while we're at it, I can hardly believe that this is how you would react to someone who _saved _your life. You could at least be thankful for _that _much!"

She held her gaze, and Magnus stared back evenly.

After a moment, he couldn't hold back any longer, he nodded approvingly. "I see." He said finally.

"You're quite an impressive person, you know that Kagurazaka Asuna." He stated with a smile. "You're right, I should be thankful for what you did. It was very dangerous, not only defending me against my assailant without regard for yourself, but also your willingness to follow through with your convictions no matter the cost. Such selflessness, it's a very noble trait that is hard to find within people."

Asuna was yet again taken aback. Just a moment ago he was chastising her for her actions, and now he was complimenting her on the very same things. Yet even in all the confusion, she felt her cheeks heat from the praise. "Um, well…I…it really wasn't anything that I did…I just…" she stammered uncertainly.

"You just acted as you normally would." Magnus answered the words that she was fumbling with. As he stared at her now, seeing the young woman that Asuna had become, he came to appreciate her all the more. For so many years, since he had made that vow to her on that fateful day, he had always concerned himself with whether or not she would ever truly be happy. The old Princess that he knew, so much at a loss to the world, would never have been able to take such actions as the girl before him.

_Leaving her in Takamichi's care truly was the best decision after all Gateau, how could I ever have doubted you._

"Well," he continued after a moment, "I believe breakfast is getting cold."

"~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~"

Sayo sat under the shade of the covered plaza, every few seconds she would neverously cast a glance towards the staircase that Locke-sensei and Karakuri-san had disappeared down several hours earlier. She had been tempted to follow the two, but for this place, all of it, continued to unnerve her. She knew it was silly, that a ghost should be a concerned about something a bizarre as magic. After all, she was a _ghost_, if she could exist in her current predicament, then was it really that much of a stretch to believe in magic?

She had to admit that there was something joyous in knowing that magic existed, but at the same time she felt a sense of dread looming over her. No, it wasn't the fact that she was in a magical world at the moment that had forced her to reign in her curiosity to explore the tower, it was the exchange that had occurred between Locke-sensei and McDowell-san.

She had known Locke-sensei for just a short time, and he seemed like a cheerful, caring individual, someone for whom Sayo was more than thrilled to be able to interact with, but almost completely changed in those brief, terse minutes that he had spoken with McDowell-san.

Sayo couldn't say that she knew Evangeline all that well, certainly they were class mates, but that was truly as far as things went. McDowell kept to herself, and the same was true for Karakuri. She would never have imagined that McDowell would be some sort of wizard.

Still, the exchange between the Locke-sensei and McDowell-san had truly unnerved her. She couldn't remember two people speaking so coldly towards one another, the exchange was so bitter, so _personal_ that it had instantly made the ghost want to vanish from this world and return to Mahora Academy.

She knew that was why she had stayed in the plaza, content to not learn any more about whatever it was that had led to such a terrible exchange. Unfortunately, waiting for Locke-sensei to return was its own curse, for it left her with nothing to do but think about things that she hadn't wanted to think about. And thus, she lulled over the fight, over this strange "pocket dimension," as Locke-sensei called it, and more importantly about what had happened that had caused all of this to transpire in the first place.

Suffice to say, she was more than eager to see Locke-sensei ascend from the bowels of the Tower, and even more enthralled to see that Kagurazaka was with him. Or more accurately, she was relieved to see that the aura tension and animosity was gratefully absent as the two conversed.

Locke looked over to Sayo and bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement.

"Well," He said, pacing towards the teleportation gateway, "I believe that Eva mentioned that round noon we can leave."

"You're sure that you're all right Locke-sensei?" Kagurazaka asked her expression concerned.

"Trust me, I don't think I would have had that third helping of pancakes if I were knocking on death's door, now would I?" He asked with a lopsided smirk.

"Well, I suppose not…" She replied, although not entirely convinced, nevertheless she followed after the sensei, with Sayo picking up the rear.

As they neared the portal back to the real world, Locke suddenly came to a halt, his body suddenly tensing up. Sayo glanced over his shoulder and that feeling of dread once again returned with a vengeance.

There standing on the bridge just before the portal array stood Evangeline A.K. McDowell, her armed crossed, a small vial in one hand and a vengeful scowl on her face.

"Well, it's good to see you again, Eva." Locke muttered, his tone saying quite the opposite. "Are you here to see us off?"

"Hardly," She muttered as she paced up to him, absently tossing the vial at him. Locke deftly caught the small cylinder with an air of disinterest. "That's the antidote to the petrification curse on your arm, you're welcome." She scoffed.

Magnus stared at the small vial, then shrugged, tossing it back at the petite golden-haired girl. "Thanks, but I don't need it."

Evangeline caught the vial with one hand, while Sayo could see the first forming in her other.

"You don't need it?" She snapped, her voice rising in tone. "You know that curse won't just stop and go away on its own right? Please tell me that you're not that stupid."

"Not at all," Locke replied, his voice never raising a single decibel, "but I think that I can find my own antidote without your help."

"Oh really?" Evangeline remarked incredulously, "Last time I checked there weren't any other potion masters in Mahora, at least none that can compare to my skill, or the complexity of that curse."

"I think you've done more than enough for me as it is," Locke stated dryly. "Now if you'll excuse us, you'll excuse us, we have some where to be." He said as he pushed past her.

What happened next was so sudden, so incredible, that Sayo—and for that matter Kagurazaka—couldn't quite believe that it happened.

Eva's hand shot out, grabbing Magnus by the elbow and spinning him around, hard.

The councilor spun on his heel, a glare appearing on his face, but it only lasted for just the briefest of moment as the hand that Eva had used to spin him around suddenly went flying, slapping him across the face. The sharp crack of palm meeting cheek seemed deafening in its suddenness, that Sayo just gaped at the golden-hair girl, astonished by her brazenness.

Well that was until Sayo saw what Evangeline did next.

In that instant of sudden shock, Evangeline's thumb uncorked the vial; she brought it to her lips and inhaled the entire contents of the elixir.

Magnus's head was just turning back to snap back as the girl for her violent outburst, but his expression suddenly widened in what could only be described stun disbelief as Evangeline suddenly kissed Locke-sensei.

It was a kiss that instantly made both Sayo and Kagurazaka's cheeks flush, they should have turned their heads from the display before them, but they were mesmerized, fixated on the debacle like some sort of horrendous train wreck unfolding before their very eyes.

After a moment, their lips parted, and the two of them stared at each other, azure eyes transfixed on emerald. It was a moment where suddenly all of the tension and animosity that Sayo had witnessed seemed to melt away.

Then it was shattered. Sayo wasn't exactly certain how it happened, but she remembered seeing a lopsided smirk appear on Locke-sensei's face, then a second, deafening broke forth as Evangeline backhanded Locke-sensei.

The petite girl spun on her heel, heading towards the tower, oblivious of the incredulous expression that abounded from the other two girls present.

"Consider my end of the bargain fulfilled, Kagurazaka." Evangeline said, deftly waving the very hand that she had twice slapped Locke-sensei with, "Now get the hell out of my resort, I've been bothered more than enough by your foolishness than I care to deal with.

Sayo looked back at Kagurazaka and Locke-sensei. The former was simply flustered and understandable confused by what had just transpired, her flushed face simply darting from Locke-sensei to Evangeline's departing form, and back again.

"Um…" She muttered, not quite certain what to say, or if she should say anything at all.

Locke-sensei seemed to find the words that escaped her. Thrusting his gloved hands into his pant pockets he merely turned, two very discernable handprints visible on his cheeks, "Well, I think we just got our departure call, so let's go."

It was the way Locke-sensei spoke those words, so nonchalantly, as if what had transpired hadn't even happened that somehow made the entire episode all the more unnerving. In that moment, Sayo wondered if perhaps, once they returned to Mahora Academy that it might be best not to get to know Locke-sensei that well.


End file.
